In The Dark
by kriitikko
Summary: A supernatural dark romance told in spirit of Leroux. Erik is NOT vampire. Has some hints of Kay. Read and review. EC pairing. Raiting is just for sure. COMPLETE
1. Proloque, 1, 2, 3, 4

**Okay, here's the deal. I've already wrote this fic to IMDb, but it got deleted and I was asked to submit it here. I wrote 40 short chapters so I'll send four per one, so that would make then posting times. I was asked to do this so I'll post them all no matter what but reviews are still of course welcome. **

**About the story, this is a supernatural dark love story that tries to stay faithful to Leroux's spirit. Erik is not a vampire but a kind of sorcerer from H. P. Lovecraft's book. It took me about 4-6 months to write this and I'm rather proud of it. As I said, reviews are welcome. **

**None of the characters is mine. **

IN THE DARK

**Prologue**

Somewhere in Romania, 1877

It was almost midnight and a travelling gypsy camp was settling down. It was a travelling circus, showing freaks and un-normal things to the paying customers. Usually at this time of night the owner of these freaks, a black bearded man named Javert, would have been counting his profits. Unfortunately that night he didn't get the chance to even start his favourite hobby. Before he had even sit down, one of his workers came rushing to him.

"Boss, he's gone crazy! He said that he was going to leave!" worker said to his boss.

Javert didn't even have to ask who he was talking about. Only one of his "invests" would cause this kind of trouble. Without another word Javert went to one of his wagers that had a sign saying "THE LIVING CORPSE". He entered and faced a thin boy, who had been living with them for the past seven years.

"What talk is this that you're leaving, freak?" Javert asked.

Boy had his back on him. "Is there some part in that statement you don't understand, Javert?" answered a voice that one could only describe as heavenly. Javert had got used to it. Also he knew what the source of the voice looked like under the sag he was wearing over his head.

"Don't talk to me like that, boy! Without me you wouldn't have a life! You're my property and you will continue earning money to me! So get that jacket off and start to sleep like everyone else!"

"No" came a short reply.

Suddenly Javert heard him mumbling something that he didn't catch but it most certainly wasn't any language he knew. And then Javert heard something behind him. As he turned around to watch he saw a wolf standing behind him, looking directly to Javert.

"What a-"

"As I said" said an 18 year old boy under the sag "I'm ready to leave, Javert. You are no use to me anymore".

"U-use to you" Javert repeated, still staring at the wolf.

"Yes, use to me. Why do you think I have been staying here for seven years? Allowed peoples to see my face and laugh at me? Because staying with your pathetic little circus I got to see different countries. And in those countries I learned things".

Javert was afraid to even ask: "What things?"

Boy chuckled. "During these seven years, during the time you made money with my help, during the time you beat me and raped me, you never once stopped to think why I allowed it all. You thought I didn't it in me to stand against you. Think again".

Boy passed Javert and the wolf easily. Javert noticed that he was carrying a small bag, probably containing the little he owned. Before walking in the night boy turned around. Javert could now clearly see his yellow eyes staring at him in the darkness.

"Goodbye, Javert. It's time for me to find more knowledge from somewhere else. Thank you for making the past seven years living hell. It makes me easier to do this" he said, his voice full of hatred and bitterness. Then he again mumbled something strange and before Javert had time to scream, the wolf had attacked him and was tearing his throat.

Boy disappeared in the darkness.

**Chapter 1 Bad beginning of a new century**

Paris January 1900

It had been three weeks from the day when world saw it new century. Although people didn't know it yet this would be a century of many changes. The magnificent Eiffel tower stands as a sign for all changes to become. Cinematograph and automobiles are just few of the wonders world is about to witness. Without anyone knowing it yet, the class barriers, that have reigned for centuries, are about to be destroyed during following decades.

But Debienne, co-manager of the Paris Opera house, is not thinking any of these revolutionary thoughts as he is anxiously waiting for his partner to arrive. He is thinking all the reasons why, instead of being welcoming guests to the auditorium, he is walking nervously in his office.

"This is better be important, Debienne!" his partner, man named Poligny, shouts as he walks in. "I was just greeting baron Jerome as he had come, when someone tells me you have something important to tell me".

Debienne just handed him a letter.

"_My dear Managers,_

_It seems it shall be war between us. For some considerable time now I have been patient with you and waited results to happen. I thought that I had made it very clear that in each performances box 5 was to be left empty for me. I also said that I will not listen in my theatre people's screeching just because they think they are singing. Still, you have sold box 5 and allowed Miss Carlotta Altiere continue her career here. I will not take it any longer. If you will not make last minutes changes you will perform "Faust" in a theatre that has a curse upon it. I'm sorry if it is to be come to that._

_Your obedient servant,_

_The Phantom of the Opera"_

"Debienne…" Poligny started, after a moment of silence "You don't seriously believe in this rubbish? Ghosts do not excise. And even if they do, they don't write letters!" Poligny still remembered when they had got the first letter few weeks ago. First they thought of it as a joke but letters just kept coming, all giving orders as how the theatre had to be run.

"But, Poligny, can you explain then how he has been able to deliver those letters to our office without breaking the doors? Or how he knows what happens in this house even before we do?"

"Enough, Debienne, your again being superstition. This is just someone who wants us to become hysterical, nothing more. And even if we would believe this, it would be too late. Listen" Poligny said. Debienne heard overture.

"The opera has already begun".

With that, the two managers left to their box. And opera went quite well.

"Going well, considering we have a curse upon us" Poligny whispered, trying to ease Debienne's state of mind.

At the stage in the role of Marguerite was singing Carlotta Altiere. She was an Italian singer whose career was in a good progress. She had been singing in Paris opera house for almost two years now and was beginning to receive offers from all over Europe.

Now she was singing the garden scene. Everything went quite well actually, if you don't count that little moment when she suddenly made a sound like a toad.

The entire audience as well as crew were terrified. Never before had Carlotta lost her voice. Never before had they heard anyone on that stage, on the stage of Paris opera house, making a sound like that. Carlotta tried to continue but every time she made that sound. It was obvious that she was starting to panic.

Managers at their box were also starting to feel cold sweet on their foreheads as they heard clearly someone laughing behind them. Someone was laughing like a maniac behind them. But when they turned around the voice was quite and they saw no-one.

But then suddenly they heard that same voice again. They recognised it as the same, because it didn't sound anything like human, but more of some creature from beyond. And it wasn't laughing but shouting to the entire auditorium.

"Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier!"

As the two managers raised their heads the chandelier was already falling.

After that night Debienne and Poligny never again questioned or denied anything that the Phantom of the opera asked from them.

**Chapter 2 Wandering child, so lost, so helpless**

Paris, November 1906

They say that after death, every good person will enter to Paradise, where he or she will never have anymore worries. A better place, as some call it. Thought that someone good has entered there should make peoples happy. It just is a little harder when that someone happened to be the most important person in your life. Such was the case with Christine Daae.

Christine was a girl of twelve that year. Usually she would have been described as a happy girl, who loved to laugh and sing. That was before September of that year, when she lost her father.

Her father, Charles Daae, had lost his wife in 1899 to pneumonia. After understanding that his native country Sweden was only reminding him about the past, he took his seven years old daughter and moved to Paris, to live with his cousin, Madame Valerious. They had arrived little after the great accident that had happened in the Opera house, and Charles Daae was therefore able to get a position in the orchestra pit as one of the violinists. Charles had always been an outstandingly great, when it had come to play violin. Beside the music the dearest thing to him in his life was his daughter Christine.

It had been now two months since she had buried her father, but it felt like yesterday. Everyday "mama" Valerious said that in time the pain would ease. But how long will it take to ease? Christine didn't want to feel this pain anymore. Two months now she had been living with this pain. She still remembered her last conversation with her father.

_Dying Charles was in his bed. _

"_W-Where is my daughter?" he had finally muttered, after some time being only coughing. Christine had carefully come closer. His father was so paled, totally lost the colour he once had. _

"_I'm here, papa" she had said, trying not to sob. _

"_Where are you? I can't see you, Christine" he said, slowly raising his hand. Christine came close enough for him to touch her. He put his cold hand to her face and felt the hot tears._

"_Why are you crying, my dear?" he asked softly._

"_Be-because you're going to die, papa" she said quietly._

"_Oh, my child, don't worry about me. Death is only a natural thing in human life. We both knew that this day would come, didn't we?"_

"_Yes, but why did it have to come so soon? Papa, please don't leave me!" she cried now openly._

"_I will never leave you, Christine. I will always be with you. And I promise this to you, my child, I promise you will never be alone. I shall send an angle to you"._

"_An-an angel, papa?" she asked._

"_Yes, Christine. I shall send Angel of Music to you. He will guide and guard you always…" his voice started to get weaker._

"_Oh, papa I don't want an angel, I want you!" girl beside him cried. _

"_I love you, my child" he said. Very soon after this he started to sleep. He never waked up again. Doctor said it had been without suffering._

Suddenly the very opera house where she had been living for the past six years seemed so strange. When the familiar smiling and loving face if her father wasn't anymore there, everything seemed gold and distant. She had stayed of course, where else would she have gone, especially when she was studying dancing in hope to get to chorus. But she really didn't have any friends. Her childhood sweetheart Raoul was somewhere with his family, God only knows where, and of the girls the only one she had befriended with was ballet mistress Madame Giry's daughter Meg.

She had never felt so lonely in her life. And where was this so-called angel? There was only a ghost. Well, Christine personally didn't believe in the stories of the Phantom of the Opera that the stage manager Joseph Buquet always told to anyone who cared to listen. Christine kind of hoped she would meet this ghost, maybe he could tell if his father had been able to talk to the angel.

Finally Christine had had enough. She run out of the opera house, without any good reason. Well, as far as she was considered she had the best reason; she had no reason to live. She stormed of the building directly to the raining streets of Paris. Though it was only 4 p.m. there was very little light, as the sky was full of raining clouds. She didn't care where she was going, or what would happen to her. She just wanted to get away from that all.

Very soon she was standing in some gutter, without knowing where she exactly was. She hadn't even dressed herself properly to outside, and was now shivering from cold, resting hands on her shoulders. Very soon some beggar would probably come to rape and kill her. She didn't care.

And then she heard someone singing. First she thought she was only imagining it, because she couldn't actually see anyone. Also the voice that sang was so beautiful to be an ordinary voice. Not to mention a male voice also.

Suddenly the voice stopped singing and started to talk to her.

"Christine, why have you run away from opera house?" it asked her.

"W-who is there?" she asked, as she still couldn't see anyone.

"You know who I am" it answered softly.

"I-I do?"

"Didn't your father say he would send me?"

Now Christine's eyes widened as she remembered what her father had told to her.

"Are you Angel of Music?" she asked.

"Yes, Christine, I am" it answered. "And we have to return to the Opera house now".

"Will…will I get to talk to you again?" she asked, afraid that this strange comfort that she was getting from that voice would disappeared.

"If you want to, but you must not tell anybody about me".

"Oh, Angel I won't just don't leave me".

"I won't, my dear".

And then she suddenly fell to darkness. When she waked up she was again in the Opera house, at girls dormitories. But she didn't feel like dying anymore. Her Angel had arrived.

**Chapter 3 Dance to remember**

Paris Opera house, December 1910

The end of the year 1910 had been all celebrating. There had been Christine's birthday, she had turned 16 years old at the end of the year. Then there had been Christmas and finally now, 31'st December was New Years eve and as a tradition, a masquerade. Meg had been really excited about the incident, because now, as sixteen years old, they were finally permitted to joint the party.

Christine, on the other hand, wasn't really that excited. She didn't feel like partying. Not that she didn't want have fun with Meg, Sorelli and Jammes, but she didn't have a proper dress. The last thing she wanted was to ask money from mama Valerious, but she didn't have enough of her own. Christine was therefore little embarrassed and was thinking how to tell Meg that she wouldn't attend.

"What's wrong, Christine?" voice asked.

Christine had come to chapel and she came there only to pray or if she was troubled.

"Oh, Angel it's nothing. Nothing that would interest you, anyway" Christine said. She had gotten use to this voice during the past four years.

"Everything that concerns you has the greatest interest to me" voice assured her.

Christine smiled. "Well, its little embarrassing really. The Opera house is haven a masque ball tonight and all of us chorus girls are invited".

"You don't want to go?"

"No, that's just it. I want to go" she said, biting her lover lip. "But I don't have a dress".

There was a moment of silence. Christie was starting to think that angel had gone away again. Then the voice appeared again.

"Christine, when you return to the dormitories you will find a dress made for you under your bed" it said.

Christine's eyes winded as she was trying to understand what angel had just said. She intended to ask but she knew he had already gone. She could sense when he left.

Christine returned to dormitories and under her bed there was a box that most certainly wasn't there before. Inside the box was a beautiful black dress. When she raised it to the light she noticed that it wasn't black but red, dark red, like a black rose. She was also delighted to see that it suited her perfectly, as if it was made for her. She couldn't have been happier.

At that moment Meg, Jammes and Sorelli walked in with Joseph Buquet. He was again speaking of the Opera Ghost. And all this because he just once saw it and didn't even see it clearly. Yet he was sure it had been the mysterious phantom.

Finally night came and celebration of the New Year begins. Magnificent fire works are blowing on the sky of Paris. All important and famous people come to Opera house. The ball takes place at the magnificent staircase of the Opera house. Peoples dressed as kings and empresses, clowns and beasts, animals and demons are dancing, drinking and having time of their life.

Christine thanked her luck that Meg had found herself a dance partner, a young boy working behind the scenes, who Madame Giry most certainly would beat if he laid a hand on Meg. If Meg wouldn't be dancing she would asking where Christine had got her dress. It most certainly was not any of operas dresses. Christine was having fun, but she yearned to dance. Too bad that there wasn't anyone asking her and she hadn't ever really had a boy friend.

Then it happened. Christine could feel as if someone was looking at her. She could feel someone's gaze burning to her. Christine raised her eyes to the stair and finally saw him. A tall thin man was walking down the stairs. He was dressed all in red. He had red suit, 17'Th century style. Red boots and gloves and a large red had and cape. In the cape was writing.

_Do not touch me. I am the Red Death passing by. _

True, man was also wearing a white skull-like mask on his face. And he was looking at Christine. He came toward to her and Christine felt like she couldn't even move. When the man was mere inches away from her she could see that his eyes were not normal ones. Instead of brown, green or blue they were yellow, almost shining. Under his cape the man raised his hand to her, asking her to dance. And without even realizing it Christine put her hand to his.

Christine wasn't sure how long they had been dancing. She could only look at his eyes. They seemed to be so full of adoration toward her. Christine could feel herself blushing. She had never felt so flattered and this man hadn't even said a word to her.

Then the dance, God only knows which one, ended and man let go of her. He pulled a rose under his cape and gave it to her. Then he bowed and disappeared from the ball room. Christine, who at this point had to sit down, wondered why the Red Death had wanted to dance with her and only with her.

She looked at the rose. It had the same collar as her dress. She raised her head to see if the man was still there but he had disappeared. Christine wondered had she just dance with the death or angel. One thing was certain. She wouldn't forget this dance any day soon.

**Chapter 4 Lessons**

Paris, February 1911

It had been two months when 16 years old Christine Daae had danced with the Red Death at the Paris Opera house. Although her mind should have moved to other things by now, Christine couldn't forget that night. It wasn't because it would have been her romantic awakening as a teenager, well partly yes, but also because she knew that it had been her Angel of Music that had danced with her. Although Christine new that she was right, she hadn't been brave enough to ask it directly from her angel. What if he would be angry? Almost as if receiving some signal, she heard her angel coming. He was again singing with that heavenly music.

"You always sing beautifully, angel" she said. Christine was alone in chapel.

"Why thank you, Christine. It's always nice to hear you saying such beautiful things. You also have a very beautiful voice, my dear. The kind of voice that would make angels weep" voice said.

Christine smiled. "I doubt that with my voice…" she was interrupted.

"I have great fait in your voice, Christine. But you haven't let anyone teach you how to get better. To make it perfect!" voice boomed.

"But angel," Christine said, after she went a little pale "I couldn't possibly afford to have instructor".

"But do you want to have it better? Do you want to let the entire world hear your voice? Or was it just your fathers dream?" voice demanded.

"Of course it is my dream also! How can you question it, I have told it was our both dream! Do you think I have lied to you?" Christine shouted, the pale on her face was been replaced by anger and small tears were forming to her eyes.

"There is no need to get angry, Christine. Of course I believe everything you have told me, my dear".

Christine was now sobbing quietly. "I'm sorry, angel" she finally muttered.

"There, there. Everything is fine. Would you like me to teach you, Christine?"

Christine's head snapped up. "Would you?"

"Of course!" voice shouted excitedly. Then more calmly; "That is if you want me to".

"Of course I want, angel!" Christine said happily and they both laughed. Christine started now have little courage.

"Angel?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Was it you?"

"I peg your pardon?"

"Was it you who danced with me at the masque ball?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Yes, I was the Red Death. How did you guess?" voice asked.

"Just a feeling" she said, smiling for finally being sure.

"Are you angry for me now? Because I'm not what you expected me to be?"

"No, I'm not. You don't know how long I've wanted you to be real. I don't want to sound ungrateful of something, but hearing only a voice without seeing someone…"

"I understand".

"Could I…could I see you now?" she asked, biting her lover lip.

"Are you sure, Christine? You may not like what you find".

"I'm sure".

There was a moment of silence, which Christine expected be him thinking.

"Not yet, Christine" voice finally said. "It has been a long night and you need rest. Tomorrow we will start our lessons. And after your debut, if you still want to, you may see me".

Christine tried to hide her happiness. It was like a fantasy coming true.

"Now, off you go, to the bed" voice said. Christine walked to the door but turned back.

"Angel?"

"Yes"

"Do you have a name, or shall I keep calling you angel?" Christine asked.

"You can call me whatever you like, my dear. But I was once given a name; Erik". And then the voice was gone.

Christine walked happily to the girl's dormitories, but was surprised to find that Meg and some other girls were still on the corridor.

"Christine!" Meg said when she noticed her. "Were you again in chapel? Hope you said prayers for us all".

"Meg, what are you talking about?" Christine asked.

"Haven't you heard? Joseph Buquet is dead" she said.

Christine eyes winded. She so got accustomed to see Opera houses stage manager that it was almost impossible to believe he was gone.

"How?" she asked.

"He was found at the third cellar floor, hanged. Police said that it was a suicide, but I know that he was murdered".

"Murdered by whom?" Christine asked.

Meg rolled her eyes. "Well who else but the Phantom of the Opera?"

Christine sighed. "Right…" she muttered.

"But Christine, listen to this. When he was found he had been hanging by some rope. But when police came to look he was on the floor and rope had disappeared. There had been peoples watching that no one would enter there why the police was coming. No one entered there!"

Christine took a deep breathe. "Meg, your listening too much rumours. Let us get back to the dormitory and get some sleep, okay?"

Meg only nodded and followed her. As they almost entered Christine noticed a man she had not seen before. He was dressed like a gentleman, was around his 50's and had a dark skin. He was trying to get to the third cellar floor, but the officer at the door wouldn't let him.

"Who is that, Meg?" Christine asked, knowing that Meg new everything under what happened under the roof of the opera house.

"Don't you know, Christine? It's the Persian!" she said.

**So sorry about the spelling and grammal mistakes. English is not my first language. **


	2. 5, 6, 7, 8

**Chapter 5 Triumph**

Paris, June 1911

_For the celebration of its new managers, M. Firmin Richard and M. Armand Moncharmin, the Paris Opera house is proud to present the new production of "Faust". This will be the first time "Faust" will be performed here since the big accident in 1900. Starring in this new production appears the latest discovery of music world, Mademoiselle Christine Daae as Marguerite. _

-from the newspaper Gazette, 1911

After 20 years of being managers of the Paris Opera house, Debienne and Poligny had decided to retire and left their place for Richard and Moncharmin, who had been more than happy to take it. And it was on that night, after 11 years of the chandelier accident, that "Faust" was again been performed.

Calling Christine Daae a discovery for the music world was, according to some musical professionals, an understatement. Never before had they heard anyone singing so perfectly. It amazed them that only a 16- years old girl could posses such a heavenly voice. After the performance was over, after the thunderous applauds had silenced, everyone wanted to see and congratulate Miss. Daae. Thank God Christine had her own body guard; Madame Giry, who kept peoples away from her dressing rooms as she enjoyed her triumph.

"But Raoul, look at this crowd. It will take years for you to even see her dressing room's door!" shouted count Phillip de Chagny, a well-known advisor of foreign affairs. Unlike his younger brother, viscount Raoul, he wasn't really interested in trying to see Miss. Daae, and he truly didn't understand why Raoul then was. Raoul had been so against of coming to the opera and then suddenly, in the middle of the performance, it seemed that nothing could have taken his eyes of the stage.

Raoul de Chagny had to wait for almost an hour before the crowd had disappeared and he managed to knock Christine's door. After hearing her said "come in" he entered. For a moment they just stared each others, as if waiting who is going to speak first. Raoul started.

"Christine Daae, where is your scarf?" he asked.

That almost pushed Christine to the ground. Had she heard correctly? What a strange question. "Pardon me, monsieur?" she asked then.

Now Raoul was smiling. "Don't tell me you have lost it. And after all the trouble I took to get it back from the ocean".

Now Christine's eyes sparkled and she smiled. "Raoul!" she said, now remembering her childhood friend. They embraced.

"Christine, it's been way too long since we have met. I heard about your father, I'm sorry". Christine gave a weak smile to Raoul. He continued: "We have lots of catch up. Will you join me for a supper now?" he asked.

"No, Raoul. I can't now, I'm too tired. But I maybe we could have a lunch some of these days".

Disappointment was obvious on Raoul's face, but he smiled still. "That sounds good. Well, I won't bother you more. And that lunch was a promise then, right".

"Right" Christine replied.

Raoul slightly kissed her hand, went off. Christine took a deep breathe. The day certainly hadn't been the usual for her.

"So that was your childhood friend Raoul, viscount de Chagny?" voice asked. Christine was little startled to hear it, she hadn't expect it to come so soon. She also wasn't sure had the voice sounded curious or bitter.

"Yes, that was him, angel" Christine replied. She had kept calling him angel, despite that she knew his name now.

"Are you awfully tired, my dear?" voice asked, much pleasantly now.

"Yes, I am. I…I had never sung like that before".

"You sung beautifully, my dear. Tonight angels cried".

Christine smiled. She always felt so safe with her angel. "Are you…" she started carefully "…going to keep your promise now? Are you going to show yourself to me?"

"Do you still want me to? Remember" voice said, much sharply now "that I will do as you want, and if you don't like what you get you have only yourself to be blamed!" it boomed now. The voice boomed so loudly that Raoul, who had been waiting outside to settle his feelings, heard it. Raoul pressed his ear to the door to listen more.

"I understand" Christine said. "Will you show yourself to me now?"

"Not now, my dear. There is still much to be done. Day after tomorrow you are going to your fathers grave, aren't you my dear?"

"You know I am, it's papa's birthday" Christine answered, feeling uncertain suddenly.

"Then there we shall meet" voice said. "Tomorrow you can go to dinner with viscount de Chagny, but you mustn't let him fool you, my dear. He has a reputation as a heart breaker".

"Very well…" Christine said and added, as she felt first time her angel to be more of a human "…Erik".

After Christine had left her dressing room, Raoul came out of the shadows. He was confused. Who was this Erik? Is he Christine's lover? And if he is why Christine didn't told it to him. Without really knowing why, Raoul entered to Christine's dressing room, only to find it empty.

**Chapter 6 the Real Manager of the Opera**

"Here's for us!" said Firmin Richard to his partner Armand Moncharmin, after the great success of Christine Daae. They were in the manager's office, drinking some fancy vine.

"Can you believe it, Armand? It's the first show we made and immediately a big success" Richard said. He was a man who kept himself in shape and had a red hair and beard.

"As long as Miss. Daae continues to work for us, there will be no problems what so ever!" said Moncharmin, a big man who could wrestle with a bear. He had bold head and a small black beard. "I wonder if our dear ghost is going to write us again" he added.

Both men laughed. The former managers Poligny and Debienne had warned them about the Phantom of the Opera whose orders should be obeyed. Needles to say, Richard's and Moncharmin's attitude towards this was: pull another one!

"Do you still have that letter they send us?" Richard asked, still laughing. "Keep the box 5 always open. The best box, for God's sake!"

"Not to mention that we should follow every order, no matter how ridiculous they sound!" Moncharmin yelled and walked to get another glass of vine. When he returned he wasn't laughing.

"Armand, what's the matter" Richard asked.

"These were on my table" he said, holding two letters in his hands. Another was addressed to him, other to Richard. Moncharmin handed other to his partner and opened the other. Inside was a photograph that made cold sweet come this bold head. There was also a letter.

_My dear M. Moncharmin,_

_I'm sorry to hear how little fait you have in me. However I didn't expect anything else from you. Neither of Debienne or Poligny believed in me, until I had to prove myself and my power to them. I could provide another accident again, like in the year of 1900. But it would take so long to get back to the schedule, and I wouldn't want to harm Miss. Daae's career, not when she is the best thing that has happened to this house in years. _

_So, instead of creating chaos and mass deaths, I decided to let you know how real I can be. I personally have never had the pleasure to actually meet Mme. Moncharmin but I bet that the woman in the picture is not her. It would be most embarrassing if that picture would find its way to one of the town's gossip papers. Oh, the shame your family would have. And how would your son understand that daddy likes the ladies of the night?_

_But, fortunately, this can be just between us, as long as my orders are obeyed. _

_I remain, hopefully, your obedient servant,_

_The Phantom of the Opera_

"How dare he?!" Moncharmin shouted and ripped the letter and photograph to pieces. "This creature has been snooping my private life! How he has done it, I don't know! Firmin, what are we going to do?!" he yelled, before he noticed that Richard was reading his letter, which also contained a photograph.

_My dear M. Richard,_

_I understand perfectly well that you don't believe in my existence. However, calling me a joke is an insult. I could make you tremble in fear, like I made Debienne and Poligny, by killing some minor peoples here in MY theatre, where I decide who lives and who dies. _

_But I seriously don't want to be again the top gossip of the ballet rats. So instead I'll just make myself perfectly clear to you. Unless you and your partner obey my every single order, that picture will end up to your father, who I believe is quite ill, as well as every news paper in this country. Personally I don't have anything against peoples like you, but you might just want to remember what happened to poor Oscar Wilde. How would you explain that situation; you fell on him? _

_I'm sorry that I was forced to do this. _

_Your obedient servant,_

_The Phantom of the Opera_

Richard threw the letter and photograph to the fireplace. He looked at Moncharmin as a broken man and said, very quietly: "I think we have to obey him".

**Chapter 7 A day in the park **

Raoul, viscount de Chagny, arrived to Mme. Valerious house next day, to get Christine to the lunch. Mama Valerious saw him coming from her window.

"Why Christine, you didn't mention to me that Raoul has become such a handsome young man" the older woman said, obviously teasing Christine.

Christine blushed. She hadn't really think about it but Raoul was actually quite handsome, at least enough to make Meg and few others jealous. And she was going to have a lunch with him. She seemed to understand that only now.

"Don't worry, dear" Mama Valerious said, as if reading her mind. "Everything will go well".

And with that Christine went down to meet Raoul.

"Ah, Christine" Raoul said when he noticed her. "Ready for a supper?" he asked, offering his hand.

"Of course" Christine said, taking his hand. Raoul guided her around the corner and Christine's eyes winded as she realised where Raoul was taking her.

"Raoul…is that yours?" she asked, when they were getting closer to an automobile that had been parked there.

"What's the point of having money if you can't little bit spend it?" he asked her, smiling.

Christine was little nervous first, she had never been in this kind of vehicle before. Meg had been once and said it was worth of trying. Raoul assured her that it would be okay. And it turned out to be. It certainly was a different from horse carriage.

After little drive they went to have a supper and during that they talked about the past years. They continued talking, taking a walk in a park. It was a beautiful day, if not little windy. Raoul was talking about how his brother Phillip was always reminding him that there is a war in Europe and that Raoul also must do his share. They were living a time when nothing was sure and peoples could only wait when war would arrive.

But Raoul wasn't interested of the war. Who was this Erik with whom Christine had talked in her dressing room? That was the question he wanted to ask. From what Christine had told to him, it seemed she didn't have a suitor. For some reason Raoul felt relieved. Raoul understood that he had feelings towards her. But did she have…?

"Christine, do you have a suitor?" Raoul suddenly asked.

"N-no, I don't have" Christine answered honestly, not liking where this was going.

"Well, Christine I'm going to be honest. During these couple of hours I have noticed that I like you…very much" Raoul said. Christine went to panic. There was no question in her mind that she liked him also, but wasn't this A LITTLE hasty? She wasn't sure was what she felt love or only friendship. How could she, she didn't know a thing of love!

Unfortunately her silence only courage Raoul to continue and he raised Christine's head, for she had started to look to the ground, and started to bring his head closer to hers.

And then something unexpected happened, just when Raoul was about to kiss Christine. It had been a windy day, but suddenly a stronger wind hit Raoul. It came from a very strange ankle and only hit Raoul, not Christine. It was much stronger than normal and so Raoul lost his balance and fell to the lake.

As much as Christine tried, she couldn't help but giggle a little. And she most certainly was grateful of that disturbance.

She helped Raoul up from the lake.

"Raoul, could we drop the suitor thing for sometime? My life is very complicated now and I need to…talk to someone before I make any decisions" she said, while they were walking to his car.

Raoul figured that she was talking about that Erik person. He didn't mention about it, because then he should have had to confess listening their conversation. But she would meet Erik at her father's grave tomorrow and Raoul was going to be there.

While they drove away, neither had seen a figure that had been watching them from the shadows and was still chuckling for what he had done to that fop.

**Chapter 8 In the flesh**

It was already very late when Christine arrived to the cemetery where her father had been buried. It wasn't her choice to be here so late, she had been waiting to come here ever since she waked up this morning. It would understate to say that she was eager to finally meet her angel. In fact that had been her only thought when she fell in sleep last night. However she had received a letter today with a dark rose;

_My dear Christine,_

_If you still want to meet me, come to your father's grave at 7 p.m. _

_Your angel,_

_Erik_

Christine was little startled by this letter. Questions like "why does he think I don't want to see him" were running in her head. She thought he had made her plans of seeing him perfectly clear. Was it he who had second thoughts? If so why? Now that Christine was thinking it she wondered why this man had came to her life as a formless angel. Why hadn't he simply introduced himself to her? For years, long before her angel had started to teach her, he had been a friend, comforter, guide and guardian to her. Maybe this man thought that peoples would start to gossip about him, spending time with a young girl. But when ever they had been talking about society he had sounded frustrated and even angry. As if he was against the whole world.

Beside the fact that he had always been there for Christine made it clear, that he had to live in, or very near, the Opera house. Christine tried to think anyone working there with the name of Erik. When she couldn't remember anyone by that name, she tried to remember someone as tall and thin as the man in the Red Death's costume. Again, she came up with no-one.

She wondered if she wasn't the only one Erik was hiding from. Maybe he was hiding from everyone. But it didn't make sense. If that was the case, what could be his reasons? The same why he had enter to her life as a voice, perhaps? Was there some reason that made him think, that coming to him as himself, would have made her run away?

Needles to say that when Christine finally arrived to the cemetery she was full of questions and need to finally know the answers.

She let herself in the cemetery trough the iron gates and walked very slowly, very respectfully, surrounded by tombs, graves, angel statues and mosaics. Sun had nearly disappeared from the sky, giving it one last red/orange colour. She looked around her and seemed to be alone.

Just few seconds later Raoul came with his automobile very slowly, making so little noise as possible, to the cemetery. He came out of the vehicle and walked to the gates. He didn't enter but stayed on the other side of the gates, looking at Christine and waiting for anything to happen. He tried to stay unseen for her and anyone who would decide to join her.

Christine finally arrived to her father's grave. It wasn't a grand mosaic but a simple tombstone with a cross. The name **Charles Daae** was written on it with some memory writing. Christine went down to her knees and placed the roses she had to the grave.

"Hello papa" she said.

"I know it's been a while since I've last been here. I've been busy. I don't know can you see it from there but I've finally been let to sing. I sang the part of Marguerite in "Faust". I felt your presence there that night. I'm sure you heard me then".

Christine had to take breathe at this point.

"I really miss you. The talk about pain going away is a lot of…" even alone Christine wasn't sure what would be proper to say. "Anyway, it's still hard that you are not here with me. But Erik has kept me a company. I wonder did you actually send him as you said. He most certainly is an angel of music. I'm meeting him tonight. Any last things to say?" she asked from the tombstone.

As if a sign, music started. A violin music came somewhere from the cemetery. Raoul was as surprised as her. No-one had entered the gates while he was there. So either the player found another way or he was there before them.

For Christine the music felt like a dagger piercing her chest. It was nothing she had heard before. Extremely beautiful music, that seemed to cry about loneliness and emptiness. Christine could have cried. She turned around trying to find the source of the music. Finally she located it.

He was between two trees, in the shadows. He was as Christine remembered him to be; tall and thin. He was dressed in black, with a black cape and a wide hat covering his face. Christine couldn't see his face, but she saw two yellow eyes staring right in to her. There was her angel in the flesh.

At the moment he was certain Christine saw him, he started to walk from to trees slowly. As mesmerized by the music, Christine followed him. Raoul also tried to follow them, but when he was about to open the gate, it wouldn't. For some reason the gate stayed locked, though he had seen Christine entering it when he arrived.

Raoul could only watch as two figures went to the other side of the cemetery where was a black carriage waiting. Without stopping to play music man helped Christine in to the carriage. Then he rose to cabby's seat and whipped horses to go.

Raoul turned around and run to his car, only to find that someone – or something – had destroyed it. Engine, motor, wheels, everything were all over the road. Raoul hadn't notice or heard anything to keep noise of doing it. So he did the only thing possible. He turned around and saw as carriage disappeared from his sight.

Sky turned in to black and night begun.

**Again, sorry for the spelling/grammal mistakes. And I remind you that I started to make this to IMDb, so that's why chapters are so short. **


	3. 9, 10, 11, 12

**Chapter 9 the Phantom of the Opera**

Fear, excitement and curiosity were the feelings Christine Daae was feeling. She was sitting on a red seat in the black carriage. She looked out of the window and saw that they were back in Paris. Sky was already black but gaslights revealed the buildings and streets. Still, Christine wasn't really paying attention where she was going but was thinking about the man who was driving the carriage. To her surprise they stopped suddenly.

Christine was too excited to even move. She was waiting to hear something from outside but heard nothing. Then suddenly the door opened and she saw him offering a hand to her. Christine accepted his black gloved hand and came out of the carriage. What surprised Christine even more was that she still couldn't see Erik's face. He was standing mere inches away from her, but hat, cape and a scarf were hiding his face in the darkness. She could only see the two gloving yellow eyes. Now that she was out she could also recognise where they were. She knew these buildings; they weren't long away from the opera house. Christine had often passed them on her way to mama Valerious. She also noticed that the horses had disappeared.

Erik, still holding Christine's hand in his, leaded her to one of the buildings. They were the kind of old buildings that you're not sure if anyone is living there. Erik opened on of the buildings doors and entered with Christine. Inside was no better that the outside. But again Erik surprised his companion. Instead of going stairs up as she had thought, they went stairs down to the basement. And there Erik opened yet another door and that revealed stairs going even deeper down. Christine had to admit that she was little nervous now.

"Please, where are you taking me?" she managed to ask. Glowing eyes turned to her.

"Home" he said simply, but hearing his voice was more than enough to reassure her.

They headed even deeper down and Christine had to walk more slowly that usually as she could barely see anything at all. And then suddenly there was light. Christine couldn't believe her eyes but there were candles on the walls even though no-one had lightened them. Christine didn't have time to wonder how Erik had done that when new surprises came.

As they had been going sometime, Christine was sure they were below the streets of Paris by now, Erik suddenly stopped and let go of Christine. Before Christine could say anything a horse appeared as if summoned. And just like that Erik had raised Christine to the horse, as if she was a mere feather. How can so thin be so strong, Christine thought.

Erik walked beside the horse and led it along the long corridors and paths. Christine had always heard stories of the underground labyrinths and catacombs but never believed she would actually someday be there. Normally she would be panicked in a situation like this but not with Erik.

Finally, after a time that could have been five minute to hours, they arrived to the underground lake. Christine was wondering if she had fallen a sleep. In the black cave there was light that seemed to become underneath the water, giving whole cave a blue kind of colour. There was also a small black boat on the dock.

Erik helped Christine from the horse to the boat and then send the horse away. He went to boat also and it started to move steadily toward the cave…by itself! Christine was now sure she must be dreaming. She was also convinced that she heard singing coming underneath the water.

Finally the boat arrived to the other side of the cave. Erik jumped to shore and helped Christine up from the boat. It wasn't until there Christine saw black wooden door in the cave wall. Erik came closer to it and it opened, though he hadn't touched it. Erik motioned Christine to enter and she did.

Inside was a total contrast to what outside was. Outside was cold catacombs and stone walls but the inside seemed like some aristocrat's home. Expensive carpets on the floor, the Italian paintings on the wall and the finest furniture's you can get. All in all it was impressive, but maybe more impressive was the thing have simple everything was, nothing snobby.

"Welcome to my home, Christine" she heard him saying behind him. She turned around and saw he was no longer wearing a hat and a cape. He was dressed all in black and he still had black gloves. But now he was also wearing a deep blue porcelain mask that covered his face. She was able to see only his two shining eyes. She looked at the man in front of her and remembered a description Sorelli had once given to her.

"You're him, aren't you?" she asked. "You're the Phantom of the Opera".

"No, Christine" he said, rather sadly. "I'm no ghost, nor angel, nor spirit. I am Erik, nothing more".

But Erik is more than a normal person, Christine thought. "Where are we?" she asked.

"This is my home, my dear, has been for the last twelve years. We are few stores beneath the Opera house".

"We're beneath the Opera house?" she echoed, more to herself than him. She looked around the large room where they were and saw at least four doors leading to other rooms. "Why have you brought me here?" she asked.

"You wanted to get to know me. Here you are. You shall spend some time with me here" he said matter-in-fact voice.

"Stay here for how long exactly?"

"A week would be fine. Yes, in a week you have learned to know me without fear or…" he seemed not wanting to finish his sentence. "I've taken the liberty to inform both managers of the Opera house and Mme. Valerious about this arrangement. After a week I shall return you above the ground, and you shall be perfectly unharmed. There's nothing for you to afraid here as long as you respect my one and only rule in here".

"And that rule is?"

"Do not touch my mask".

**Chapter 10 Daroga**

The day had been most certainly unusual to Erik. The fact that Christine Daae was sleeping just behind the wall was so exciting that Erik wondered if it was healthy. He hadn't ever had anyone in his home before, not during those twelve years he had been living there. And now that little angel was sleeping in here. Erik had promised to give tour to her when she awakes but he gathered she would need a little rest. After all, anything that had anything to do with Erik couldn't possibly be called a simple. She would probably have a billion questions to make.

Erik founded that he was little amused by the situation. A beautiful girl that had a smile to make a train stop was willingly sleeping in his home. If only mother knew…Erik thought, pushing the thought immediately off his head. Last thing he needed was to be reminded of his mother.

At the moment Erik was doing something he usually did, having a walk in the shadows. He was happy here, as happy as he ever could be. In the darkness of the catacombs he could walk without his mask without a fear to be seen. Still, this day was holding a few more surprises to him. As he was walking beside the lake he heard singing. It was a song of death. Erik wondered who unfortunate was soon to be dead. He headed to the sound, wanting to see who had gotten this close to his home. Soon he heard splashing of water and just before a figure of a man disappeared beneath the surface he heard someone yelling: "ERIK; PLEASE HELP!"

Erik was taken back by the voice. He knew it was only a matter of time before this man would find his way here; still Erik hadn't been waiting for it. Quickly he walked to the lake and hissed angrily in to the water. Soon a man with a dark skin appeared. Erik helped him to the shore.

"God damn you, daroga! You old fool, coming here. Did you think that it would be easy? Did you think that I have become a senile? Did you save my life only to make it insufferable?!" Erik said angrily to the man, walking to the shadows so man couldn't see his face. The Persian could still see his gloving eyes.

"No, Erik, I didn't thought any of that" he said, as he was still breathing hard, nearly drowning a mere seconds before.

"Then why, pray tell, did you risked your life by coming here? I have seen how you have been searching my home for almost a year now. You have been very careful of not tripping to my traps. Why were you careless now? What possessed you to hurry?"

"Christine Daae" the Persian said.

Erik went silence. He knew already that he wouldn't enjoy this conversation. "What about Christine Daae?" he asked.

"She's in your home isn't she?" the Persian asked.

"Yes she is what about it? I have every right to ask her visit me from time to time" Erik said, obviously irritated.

"I need to know is she alright, Erik. If you have hurt her, a mere child still, I swear…"

The Persian was interrupted by Erik's laughter. "You swear what? Unless you haven't noticed, Nadir, you are in no position to give threats to me. What I have done – or will do – to Christine Daae is none of your concern. I can tell you that she is sleeping quite peacefully at the moment and that she has arrived here by her own free will".

"You're lying, Erik…"

"Enough! I don't want to hear anymore of it, understand? I'm tired and I still have much to do! I saved your pathetic life today, Nadir, so you could say that we are even. But if you ever try to come here again without my permission…or if you try to speak to Miss. Daae a bad word about me…I'll make you regret it".

Nadir knew it was useless to argue. Instead he just shook his head. "Erik, for the past 25 years I've been wondering if I did the right thing by saving your life. I so hoped that you would have used your talent and gifts to help mankind. Have you been just murdering peoples all these years?"

"Of course not, but I warn you; my rage is not yet done" Erik said, sending shivers to the Persian's spine. "Now leave!" he added.

"Erik! One more thing! What – what is that thing singing in the lake?"

"Oh, daroga, can't you anymore recognize a serine when you see one?" Erik said amusement in his voice.

"A serine…? You didn't bring it from Persia?" Nadir asked.

"No, don't worry. I found her in London. Poor thing was been kept in an aquarium in a freak circus. Such a magnificent creature, I just couldn't leave her there". And then Erik made two long steps to the Persian and hold him by his collar. "If you disobey me and come here again…serine will be the least of your worries!" and then he was again in the shadows.

**Chapter 11 From dream to nightmare**

For a moment Christine was thinking she was still asleep, as the place where she was, was not a familiar to her. She was in a huge bed, covered with the fines silk you could get. Only royalties slept like this. Christine's troubled mind was trying to remember what had happened and it came to only one conclusion; Erik.

Christine remembered now, she was at Erik's home, beneath the Opera house. Erik, the magician, genius, angel, mystery, ghost all in one man. Who he is, Christine thought. What had he done before? How did he come here? Is he only a man? Why is he wearing a mask?

Christine shuddered as she remembered the deep blue porcelain mask. She had so long wished too actually see her Angel of Music, and even now it was denied from her. She remembered Erik's voice when he had made his command; it had been warning. If she would see him something terrible would happen.

Christine's thoughts were interrupted by sound of music coming from another room. She left the room where she had been, a very beautiful ladies room, and went to see Erik. He was at the next room, playing the same music he had played at the cemetery. Only this time he wasn't playing a violin but huge pipe organ that covered the entire wall of the room. The music was the same; unbelievably sad, crying of love and loneliness.

Erik stopped immediately as he noticed her entering. He was dressed in a green rope that had red dragons in it. He was also now wearing a white mask.

"Good morning, Christine" he said very politely.

"Good morning, Erik" she answered.

"I hope you rested well and that you didn't wake because of me".

"No I didn't, I was awake already. I'm not though quite sure what time it is" she confessed.

"Yes, I'm to blame for that. Here it is very easy to loose the sense of time. It should make your week here easier. It is almost noon, Christine" Erik finally admitted.

Christine almost fell to the floor. She had never slept this long.

"Now, Christine. It is time for some breakfast or supper maybe, I think" Erik said, obviously noticing her reaction.

After Erik had served her something to eat, though she only ate few fruits, he fulfilled his promise to give her a tour.

"There are only two rooms where you are not allowed. One is that" Erik pointed a door in the corner. "That is one of them, my cabinet. The other is that" he said pointing a wall. "You can't see the door, but should you ever find it, under no circumstances enter there" he said sharply and firmly.

What Christine was allowed to see was a huge library, containing books and writings from all over the world. In Erik's lair was also a music room, containing different sort of instruments and a room full of clothes, where Christine noticed was also the red death costume.

Back in the main room Christine quickly glanced the libretto at the organ.

_Don Juan Triumphant by Erik Destler._

"Is this your work, Erik?" Christine asked.

"Yes it is, did you like it?" he asked.

"Yes, it was very beautiful. But the music expressed loneliness. Wasn't Don Juan a ladies man?" Christine asked; remember only little of Lord Byron's work.

"Yes, but he never had anyone to love him" Erik said simply. "Would you like me to play to you?" he then added. Erik could read from Christine's eyes what she was about to ask. "No, I won't play more of my Don Juan. I can play Mozart of Beethoven, but my Don Juan burns".

And then he sat down to the organ and started to play some famous piece. Christine watched mesmerized as he played. He was incredibly talented. But who was he? Why was he down here? Was he an eccentric nobleman or a fugitive running the law? Suddenly Christine felt the urge to know the face beneath the mask, to finally see her angel. And with a movement she was incapable to control; her fingers quickly moved the mask from his face.

And immediately she stiffed. Not because of the face, as she was standing right behind Erik and couldn't see anything. But because of the horrible inhuman cry that he made as he felt the air on his bare face. It was a cry of ultimate desperation that for a moment Christine considered returning the mask before she could see anything. But then Erik rose up to his towering heights and turned around.

Never before had Christine seen a face like that, not even in her worst nightmares. He didn't seem to have any flesh on his face, only a yellow/grey skin going around the skull. It was a face of decomposing and rotting, a death face. His thin lips could hardly conceal his teeth. And he didn't have nose but a huge black hole there where should have been a nose. But what frightened Christine most were his eyes, two shining eyes in a black holes. In them she could see all sorrow, desperation and betrayal the world could hold.

Christine, who had fell to the floor, tried to turn her eyes away but in a second Erik was also on the floor like a huge predator. He took Christine's head to his hands and forced her to look at him.

"Don't you even dare to turn your face away from me, Christine Daae! You wanted to see so look now! Look at me; look at this face that even my own mother couldn't love! Are you satisfied now my dear, are you?! Oh, maybe you think it's another mask; a mask behind the mask". Erik forced Christine to touch his dead face. "Oh no, you can't tear this one off, now can you my dear? It's not another mask, it's me! It's me!!" he yelled. Then he let go of her and rose up.

"Yes Christine, do you see? I'm Don Juan, sort of anyway! No-one loves me, but when a woman has seen me she belongs to me, to me, TO ME!!!"

And then, with a two long steps, Erik was at the door. His face was now buried to his hands. "I hope you are happy now, Christine. Because now I can never let you go" he said silently. And then he was gone, leaving shaking and sobbing Christine to the floor.

**Chapter 12 Erik's bedchamber**

It took some time before Christine found the strength to get up from the floor. She was still shaking.

How it all went wrong, she asked from herself. One moment they had been playing music and singing, Erik had been showing his domain. He had trusted her and this is how she had repaid it. Christine cursed herself. She hated herself and her curiosity.

Well, now I know why he didn't contact me face to face all those years ago, Christine thought. She wondered why Erik had chosen her to be his protégé. She sobbed at the thought of how he must have felt, always staying in the shadow. All because of his face…

Christine shuddered at the thought of his face. He didn't have a nose! What horrible faith had condemned him with a face like that? Had it been some terrible accident? No, Christine suddenly remembered Erik's words: "…face that even my own mother couldn't love!"

_Oh my god…_

He had born like that. He had never had a normal face. Christine suddenly realised what kind of life he must have been living. No society would ever welcome him to be part of it. Had he always been in the shadows? Only watching how others lived their lives. What had he been doing? Did he have friends and enemies?

And what about his talents, she thought. He was obviously talented musician and, if his underground home was his creation, architect. But what else was he? What about all the wonders she had seen here? Were they his creation also? Illusion or something else…

Christine left the room with the great pipe organ and venture now to the room where she heard a soft music coming. Erik had forbidden her to go only to two places but this was not one of them. She slowly opened the door and music stop immediately. Erik was standing; he had been playing a flute, his back on her. He didn't turn to her. Christine was nervously holding his white mask in her little hands.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Erik. Please forgive me" she managed to mutter.

Erik didn't say anything. Instead he held his hand, motioning her to give his mask back. Christine did. It was now that Christine could actually look about the room. This room was dark. It was decorated with black and night-sky blue curtains, only light was coming from candles. In the room were drawings and a…

…coffin.

A black coffin with a bright red silk in it was in the middle of the room. Christine could only look at it and wonder why Erik had a coffin.

"It's my bed" Erik said.

Christine looked at him. He was sleeping in a coffin?

"Don't try to understand me, Christine. You could never understand me" Erik said. "And what comes to your apology, there's nothing to apologize. You are already paying for your crime".

Christine's eyes winded in bewilderment, she couldn't understand what he meant. When Erik realized what puzzled her, a laugh escaped from his lips.

"As long as you wouldn't have known my face you would have returned here to see your poor Erik. But now that you know my face you would leave me the first chance you get. I can't and I will not ever, EVER, let you go" he said.

Christine now understood how much damage she had done. The trust that they had been build during the last years had been shattered to pieces. But she wasn't going to give up. She would get him trust her again, and she see the world above again. For a moment Christine wondered which was more important to her; her old life or Erik's trust.

"Erik, if you won't let me return above after the week as you said, it means you have never felt anything for me" she said, knowing that she was playing with fire. For a moment she was expecting the worst; Erik's shinning eyes narrowed in shock, frustration and anger. But, obviously thinking otherwise, he regained his composure.

"I'll think about your words. The dinner will be served in a couple of hours. Now leave me!" Erik said more harshly than what he intended.

When Christine left Erik, he blow his fist to the small bedside table and it immediately fall to the pieces.

"How dare she accuse me… when I love her…?"


	4. 13, 14, 15, 16

**Chapter 13 A Peaceful Place **

During the twelve years Erik Destler had been living in the Paris Opera house he had been able to find only one place from there, where he could go to think, without being afraid of being seen. Erik saw irony of the situation that this place was none other than the statue Apollo, standing proudly on the roof of the opera house. Irony was that as Erik was standing on the top of it, he was closer to heaven than in any other place. All his life Erik had never been able to have the idea of loving God; actually he felted only hatred toward those "heavenly forces". Still this was the only place of his kingdom where he could find total peace.

Erik watched as slowly sun was disappearing and darkness was coming. Erik sighed with relief. He loved darkness, it was his only companion. Darkness wasn't disgusted by his appearance. Darkness didn't judge him by what he looked like or what he was capable of doing. In darkness Erik could hide from cruelties of mankind and it always sheltered him when he had done something "drastic". But most importantly; there could only be so little light but darkness was always there. Erik could count on it, darkness would never abandon him.

And yet, there was something missing from the darkness. Some minor but yet crucial element that always irritated Erik with its absence. Erik hadn't ask what that element was until it had come to him.

It had happened almost seven years ago then. He had been doing his "rounds", making sure that everything in his kingdom was following his orders. He had been above the stage at the cat walk when it happened. Erik couldn't first think what it was and for a little moment he was in a panic that he had died. It took a moment for Erik to understand that sudden change in the theatre had been caused by a voice. It wasn't anything you called an expectedly sung but it had something Erik had never heard. From that voice one could hear and pure the singers pure love towards music itself. The voice was so pure and innocent that Erik almost cried when it stopped. Finally Erik took a look down to see the source of the voice. A young girl, who had obviously never been trained to sing, was singing only for the love of singing.

That was the first time Erik saw Christine Daae.

For the several next months Erik had keep an eye on Christine. He had soon become touched not only by her voice but also by her compassion. Once she had stopped a workman killing a spider on a floor and had been snapping to him that just because spider is ugly doesn't it still have right to live. Erik was mesmerised by this, even when he knew that she would never be able to look at him. (AN: Anyone who has read Susan Kay's book knows that I'm reversing the situation here)

Then Charles Daae had died and Christine became very depressed. For the reasons Erik didn't know, he was worried by her. He wanted to use all his powers and talents to make sure she would be able to go on. But he knew that he couldn't approach her as normal peoples do. She was already in a devastated state, seeing him would not help her at all. He had been toying with the idea of imposing as Angel of Music, as in the fairytale her father had been telling her. He had made his decision when she had run in to the pouring rain, obviously wanting to die.

He remembered the strange feeling of holding her small body as he carried her back to the opera house. She had seemed so fragile, like a Ming vase. For the first time in months she had looked peaceful while she slept, covered in Erik's cape. Erik had made vow to himself that die that he would always protect Christine Daae.

Erik almost laughed when he remembered his promise. That was almost surreal. A vow like that coming from him, after all that he had done?

Anyway, he had continued to be her angel of music. First it had been out of fear for her falling depressed again, and then he just wasn't able to stop it. Christine was the only one who he spoke to and she trusted her secrets to him. He remembered how six months ago then she had told him how she wanted to go to the masquerade ball. Erik had gotten a rather wicked idea, and soon found himself in the red death's costume dancing with the woman he loved.

Oh yes, Erik was in love with her. How or when had it happened, he didn't know. Love was something Erik had started to think as a totally useless emotion, mainly because he had lived his life as unloved. Her suggestion to meet had given him hope that maybe she could love him in return. Also he was starting to panic in a fear of loosing her completely as she didn't require anymore teaching. There was also the threat of a possible suitor. Raoul de Chagny had made Erik realize that a lot of young men would start to see Christine in a new light, now that she had become a young woman.

Of course every hope that Erik had had vanished when she saw his face.

It had been few days since that and they had started to create a routine for themselves. Usually they would share a lunch and a dinner together, though Christine was the only one who ate as Erik didn't dare to remove his mask, and after that she would sing to him by piano or organ or violin…

Erik new Christine was trying to get him trust her again, and as much as Erik wished it would be for himself, he was certain it was only that he would let her go. Still, Erik was bound to have her for himself no matter what it takes. Erik looked at the dark sky. It was almost dinner time.

Erik came up with the idea of taking Christine for a walk. Yes, he would show her that he could also offer her everything she needed, even something as ordinary as a walk. Erik was going to have Christine for himself alone, and as a man who had seen more miracles and revealed more answers to forbidden questions than anyone else, he would have her.

That in his thoughts he placed the mask back to his bare face and jumped off the statue.

**Chapter 14 A walk**

When Erik arrived back to his lair, Christine was in his library reading "Beauty and the Beast" by Mme. Leprince de Beaumont. Christine wondered if Madame had seen a dream of Erik when she made the book, though the legend itself is much older than that. Still, Christine couldn't help but notice the similarities between the book and the situation where she was. Not that Christine thought herself as beautiful; she had never really got any compliments from men. But the story also had beast, hiding from the world in an enchanted castle. Christine had always thought of herself as a logical thinker, but in this place her beliefs had been put to the test. Christine was certain that everything she had seen here could not be an illusion or a theatre trick. She had been living in a theatre for years now, she knew all the tricks! What Erik had here was something beyond explanations; something Christine was ready to call magic.

Erik made a little sound on the doorway to let her know his presence. Christine's head snapped up.

"Is it already dinner time?" she asked.

"No, my dear, it isn't. I was wondering if you would care to walk with me, seeing you have been here for days now" Erik answered.

Christine looked at him bewildered. "A walk…like outside?"

"You know a better place, perhaps?"

Christine smiled to herself. For days now she had tried to rebuild the trust between her and Erik. If Erik was going to take her outside it meant he trusted for her not to run away. And Christine had no intentions to ruin it now.

Some time later they were walking outside the Opera house. They walked along the river Seine to the cathedral of Notre Dame. No one could be seen or heard; only one man walking a dog was with them. The sky was black as Erik's dress but it was the full moon gave enough light for them to see their surroundings. Erik wasn't wearing his mask, but his scarf and hat covered his face in the darkness of prying eyes. Only his two yellow eyes shined. Christine was mesmerized by those eyes. Even when the idea of Erik's face did scare her, his eyes hold strange comfort to her. This made Christine shiver, the idea that Erik might hold a part of her soul to himself.

"Are you cold, my dear?" Erik suddenly asked, pulling her out of her trance.

"Oh…no, I'm not. Why?"

"You seem to shiver".

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm alright" she said, feeling little embarrassed that Erik had noticed. She decided to change the subject. "Tell me about you, Erik" she said suddenly.

Erik almost lost his balance. "What would you like to know about me?" he asked carefully.

"Well…don't get me wrong, but you're not normal, are you?" Christine soon realized her mistake. "And I don't only mean your face!" she quickly corrected. "I've lived years in a theatre so I know an illusion when I see one. But in your home I've seen things that I just can't explain. And I…I would really…like to know you, Erik" her lover lip almost trembled as she said this.

Erik had to make sure that some hadn't hypnotized him. Christine saw doubt in his eyes and did something so out of impulse that they both went still. She placed her hand on his arm. Christine felt how Erik stiffed back. She wondered how little human contracts Erik must have had for him to think a touching would immediately hurt.

"I am…complicated man, Christine. There are things you may not want to know about me".

Christine almost smiled as she could see Erik beginning to trust her. And then-

"CHRISTINE!"

Both turn around to see a young man from across the street walking towards them. Christine almost screamed as she saw who it was; Raoul. The timing couldn't have been worse.

Suddenly Christine heard Erik mumbling something, as if speaking with some foreign language. She was about to ask if he had spoken to her when, from other end of the street, a dog came running towards Raoul. This was so unexpected that Raoul fell to the street and dog kept barging to him. The man who had been walking the dog came running towards Raoul.

In the meanwhile Christine watched in utmost disbelief as she and Erik were suddenly surrounded by fog. She didn't have time to think this when Erik crapped her arm and guided her trough the fog. When she could again see in front of her, she realised they were far from Raoul.

Erik was leaning against a wall and breathing deeply.

"Perhaps we should take a cap back to home" he said. Christine could only nod; she figured this wouldn't be the best time to argue with Erik. Seeing Raoul had been too big shock for them both.

"Are you alright, Erik?" Christine asked. The concern in her voice made Erik's throat and chest tight painfully.

"I'm not young anymore, Christine. That was exhausting" he simply said. Christine couldn't help but wonder what of the previous things that happened he had meant by "that".

**Chapter 15 In which Erik gives Christine a ring**

Christine was not a stupid girl. She knew when she had gotten herself into trouble. And the fact that she was wearing Erik's ring could only mean trouble. Christine remembered how it had ended in her finger:

"Well, my dear. Now you have spent a week here in my home. I promised to let you go if you wouldn't touch my mask during your time in here" Erik said calmly. "You didn't respect that wish, Christine. I have no reason to let you go".

For a moment Christine's hear sank as she thought all the things she would never see again. But then Erik continued.

"But I do not want you to think of me as a monster, Christine, no matter how my appearance says otherwise. I want you to go up, back to your world. But I can't allow that if I suspect that you would run away from me. So the real question is; what guarantees do I have that you will return to me?"

Christine smiled knowingly at Erik.

"I can hear from your voice that you have already a solution for this dilemma, Erik" Christine said.

Erik sighed. "It seems we have started to know each others too well, my dear. Yes, I truly have a solution".

Erik suddenly took a glow from his right hand. Christine realised that she had never seen Erik without his gloves. Somehow this seemed exiting to her. Erik pulled his black glove away and revealed an unbelievably pale hand. His fingers were long like spider legs and he had three rings in his hand.

"I'm not one for much of jewelleries, but these rings have a sacred value to me. Two of then I have succeeded of getting on my journeys. But this…"

Erik pulled one of the rings away. It didn't have a fancy diamond in it, so it looked very simple, much like Christine wanted.

"…this I made myself".

Christine couldn't help but wonder what value that ring had if a man with Erik's talents made it.

"Wear this ring, Christine. Wear my ring and I know you are still faithful to me. Be my bride and you will have nothing to fear from my part" Erik said with a deep low voice, coming towards Christine. Almost as if unable to control her actions, Christine raised her left hand and Erik placed the ring in her finger.

And so they were engaged.

After Erik returned Christine safely back to above ground, he started to get back down. But he didn't make it even to the third cellar when he was stopped.

"ERIK!"

"Oh for…!!! Didn't I make myself clear that I didn't wish to see you hear anymore, daroga?" Erik asked bitterly from his dark skinned companion.

"Actually Erik you said never to come to your home again. We're in the third cellar now".

"And I'm heading back to home. Good day to you, Nadir!" Erik said as he was again melting to the shadows.

"Wait, Erik! I happened to see Christine Daae on my way here…" he started but was cut off.

"Could to you, probably saved your dull day to see a beauty like her" came a sharp remark.

"…and I saw her wearing a ring" the Persian finished. "Please, Erik. For the love of any God you chose, don't tell me she's wearing your ring".

"She is what of it? I had to make certain that she won't betray my trust again, Nadir. You probably have heard that everything is fair in love and war?"

"You…you love her?" the Persian asked in a shock, never expecting this from the shadowy man in front of him.

"Well, Nadir! How did you guess? It seems I'm talking with Sherlock Holmes himself here!" Erik laughed mockingly. "And now I bid you goodbye".

"One more thing, Erik! Just answer to one question and I won't bother you anymore!" the Persian yelled. "Just answer one question…"

"Well?" Erik said, looking intensively to him.

"Are you still listening to them?" the Persian asked, slightly shaking.

"NO! I'm not. Erik is his own master now, not a puppet to control. I haven't listened to them and I won't ever again. I have learned from that mistake" Erik said, his voice full of venom, just before his disappeared again in to the darkness.

**Chapter 16 Above again**

Christine hadn't realised how much she missed the sunlight until she was above the ground again. She looked at the peoples that walked on the street of Paris and for the first time in her life she realised how that the world is not truly one, but truly two. There was this world that she knew; the façade of the entire world. And then there's the one Erik knows; the one which he had shown a glimpse to her. Christine briefly wondered could she ever totally be again part of this world, now that she had seen the other.

Hardly had she time to think this when two men came running down the grand stairs of the Opera House towards her, shouting her name. Christine became nervous when she realised that the two men were none other than Firmin Richard and Armand Moncharmin. Christine was quite ready to get an earful for being away a week.

"Miss Daae, how wonderful to see you again!" shouted the thin man with red hair.

"I do hope your vacation has been refreshing one and that you are ready to continue as our lead singer; La Daae!" shouted the big man with black beard.

This was certainly not what she had expected.

"Of course, monsieur's, I'd be honoured to continue…" she managed to mutter when managers were suddenly on both side of her, taking her both hands and walking her back to her dressing room. On the way there they continued talking about the future performances and that she shouldn't worry about taking a vacation every now and then.

"I do hope you are ready to continue as Marguerite in Faust tomorrow" Richard suddenly said.

"Tomorrow?" Christine gasped. She had not been informed by this. But then again, this might explain why Erik had continued her tutoring everyday when she was with him.

"Yes of course I am" Christine said.

"Ah, there you go, Richard. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure Miss Daae would like to refresh now from her journey" Moncharmin suggested and so Christine slipped in to her dressing room.

Though she soon fined out that her dressing room was occupied.

"CHRISTINE!" Meg shouted as she saw her entering. Soon the young ballet dancer was hugging her long-time best friend.

"Meg, what are you doing here?" Christine was finally capable of asking.

"I was waiting for you. My mother told me you were expected to return today. But where have you been whole week? You didn't even tell us you would be leaving" Meg told her.

"It came really suddenly, Meg. I went to see a friend or mine, nobody who you know, Meg" Christine said. She didn't feel well about lying so she told only half the truth. Also she didn't want to betray Erik.

Outside her dressing room; two managers were talking.

"I still feel we should just threat her to tell us the identity of this 'phantom'" Moncharmin said.

"Are you insane? He seems to know everything we do these days. He would know immediately if we would come even close to his precious diva. Do you want that every little secret of ours would become the talk of Paris?" Richard shot back.

"But it's obvious that this girl must know him. Almost every demand he makes has something to do with this girl. Maybe…" Moncharmin thought "…she IS the Phantom of the Opera".

Richard looked at his partner as if he would have grown three heads. "That is the most stupid thing I have ever…" he stop and took breath. "What matters now is that we must protect our reputation and reputation of this opera house. Now, do you have the 20 000 francs we were suppose to pay him today?"

Moncharmin sighed. "Yes I have them he…" he stopped as he put his hand to his pocket. Instead of a large envelope he had put in there, he found only a little piece of paper.

"Thank you" it said.

"Bloody…" Moncharmin started.

"…hell" Richard finished.

Neither of them noticed the Persian man who had been watching them for sometime now.


	5. 17, 18, 19, 20

**All the reviews are appreciated. **

**Chapter 17 A Turned Down Viscount**

And as said; Christine Daae sang the role of Marguerite in "Faust" the next night. And again received thunderous applauds from audience. Especially from two men; a young man who was sitting in his brother's box, the other who was lurking in the shadows of box 5.

When Christine entered to her dressing room, she was greeted by Mme. Giry. The older woman immediately hugged the young singer.

"You did extremely well tonight, my dear. You truly have turned from a chorus girl to an adult singer" Madame Giry said.

Christine couldn't help but blush a little, she was little unused for the idea of being a young adult. She didn't have time to think an answer when she noticed a rose and a letter on her table. A dark rose and a letter with red was seal told her immediately who had scented it.

_My dear Christine,_

_Would you do me to honour to dine with me at 9 o'clock in Café Del Opera?_

_Your devoted servant,_

_E_

Christine looked at clock; she had little less than an hour to prepare herself. She didn't even once stop to think that she was going to see deformed magician, she wanted to dine with a person who had over the years become very dear to her.

Suddenly someone knocked her door.

"Christine? Are you in there?" said Raoul's voice from the other side.

Christine immediately started to whisper to Mme. Giry. "Please Madame, I need your help. I can not see that person. Please, make him go away, I can't see him" Christine didn't even dare to think what would happen if Erik thought she would rather see Raoul instead of him.

Without answering Mme. Giry went to the other side of the door. "Sir, it is not proper to come knocking a young women's doors. Miss Daae is engaged this evening and can not see you" she said politely but firmly.

She left astounded Raoul to the hall. Raoul waited then outside the opera house, but when he just saw Christine's silhouette someone tapped on his shoulder. He turned around to face a dark skinned man.

"I advise you, monsieur, do not try to see Miss Daae again. I'm only thinking your best interests" he said and then walked away.

For two times during one evening Raoul had been left standing before he had time to reply, and he was more determined to know what is going on than ever before.

Still, he didn't see Christine anymore that night.

**Chapter 18 In Café Del Opera**

When Christine arrived to Café Del Opera she was surprised to see how grounded it was. She wouldn't have expected Erik to appear in a place this public. When she informed her name to the waiter he immediately lead her to the very end of the restaurant, where she saw was a table more away from others. In the table there was a dark figure of a man.

"Your companion, monsieur Destler" waiter said quite quietly to the man. Erik immediately rose up and offered Christine a chair. As she sat down she noticed how waiter immediately left leaving them alone.

"He didn't even take our orders" she said, obviously astonished.

"I took the liberty to order for us already" Erik said.

Christine noticed how elegantly he was dressed; a black tuxedo with white shirt. Somehow his white mask fitted with this. This time the mask only covered his face and Christine realized that she could actually see more of Erik now. His head was covered by a black wig but you could actually see his jaw and ears now. Even when this wasn't much Christine was delighted. Erik must feel uncomfortable here but here he was, with her. She was pulled back to reality by Erik's angelic voice.

"You sang beautifully tonight, my dear" Erik said.

"Thanks to you I can actually sing" she smiled.

"You have always been able to sing. I only pointed the direction to you, it is you who has made the journey" Erik spoke softly and Christine suddenly realised that she would be willing to pay for Erik if he just continued speaking. That voice had almost frightening effects to her.

Erik's orders arrived. Christine wasn't surprised to see that Erik's orders were delicious, pleasure to eyes and nose, unbelievably grand and yet very simple. Just as he always preferred. The dinner was in fact just fish, rice and green salad. And wine, of course.

"I hope you like it" Erik said, after they had eaten in silence for a while.

Christine could only nod as her mouth was filled with food. She felt little embarrassed and Erik gave a small laugh as she blushed.

"I am pleased that you decided to join me, Christine" Erik said after another moment of awkward silence.

"And why wouldn't I?" she asked.

Erik gave her a sad smile as he was wearing a mask that allowed her to see his mouth, partly anyway.

"Christine…people tend to chose another kind of peoples to dine with than someone like me" he said.

Christine couldn't help but wonder did Erik mean his face or his extraordinary abilities…or both.

"Erik" she started "yet I know almost nothing of you. So I don't have much to be afraid of or hate. What come to your face…what I've gathered you were born like that, am I right?"

Erik gave her a small nod.

"Then your face is not your fault. You can't be sorry for it so I have nothing to forgive for" she said.

Erik felt like someone would have told him sky is actually green not blue. He was sure that everything he has went trough no-one could ever surprise him. And yet, almost always, Christine Daae could surprise him.

"Maybe that's the reason I love you so…" he muttered, before cursing himself for saying that aloud. He felt easier for seeing that Christine hadn't heard him as she showed no reaction.

In truth Christine had heard him and was thinking very hardly how to swallow this piece of fish she had in her mouth. Her mind was spinning.

'Erik loves me!' she thought. 'When did this happen? Has he always loved me? Do I love him? Should I? What on Earth am I going to do?'

Although Erik did have a conversation with her about her future works she couldn't forget that slip he had made.

After they had dined Erik asked what she would do now.

"Well, I was thinking of spending a couple of days with mama Valerious. She has been very ill lately…" she became quiet as she realised that mama Valerious didn't how much time anymore.

Erik sensed her realisation. "Of course Christine, I understand. I was wondering if after those couple of days you would care to join me again in my home?" he said.

Christine knew that as long as she would follow the rules Erik would never hurt her. She also wanted to know more about Erik. And she couldn't deny the fact that she missed being there.

As they left Café Del Opera Christine was so consumed by unexplained happiness that she almost fell to the gutter on the door of the Café. Erik, with his catlike reflex, caught her before she fell. Christine felt burning blood running on her cheeks as she realised she was in Erik's arms.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Erik asked.

"Y-yes" she stammered. But she flinched when she put her weight to her leg. Erik immediately bent over like a doctor. But when he was about to examine if anything was wrong he hesitated. He raised his head to meet her eyes.

"May I?" he asked carefully. "I can take you to opera's doctor if you prefer" he added.

"No, it doesn't matter. Go ahead". It was impossible to tell which one was more surprised by her answer. Erik quickly examined her leg and found there was nothing that rest couldn't cure. And with that they parted in the night. Erik was memorising the moment of touching Christine and have her in his arms. Have someone so close without hurting them.

Christine was wondering why she felt shivers on her spine the moment Erik touched her.

**Chapter 19 Christine's visitors**

Christine was delighted to see mama Valerious again but noticed how week she had become. It wouldn't take long anymore she knew. A month, maybe even less, and Christine should start to organise funerals. Still, even when Valerious herself was aware of her condition, she remained as bright and smiling as ever. Few days with her were hard for Christine but she forced herself to stay strong.

On her last day at Valerious house she was visited by the Viscount Raoul de Chagny. As soon as mama Valerious watching eye avoided them Raoul cut right to the point.

"Christine, are you avoiding me?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone, though Christine could tell he was hurt.

She knew it would sooner or later come to this but she decided to buy some time. "Whatever are you meaning?"

"Oh come on, now. I have been trying to see you for a week now. I've send letters and you don't answer me. Now I had to come to see if my fears are true or not". There was a pause before he continued. "You could have told me you have another man in your life. I can see you're already wearing his ring".

Christine glanced down to her finger and looked at Erik's gold ring in her hand. "Raoul, this isn't…" but she couldn't continue. She truly had no idea had Erik gave this ring only as a sign of trust or something more. That slip in the restaurant was still haunting her.

As she didn't continued Raoul stand up and spoke. "I have found myself liking you, Christine, very much. When you have decided what you want from your life please tell me" he said softly. Then he kissed her hand and left.

All evening Christine wondered what she truly wanted from her life. She didn't want to lose Raoul's friendship and she knew that if she and Raoul become something more she would have an envied life. A life where she would want for nothing and her slightest whish would be granted, a life as a man's wife and mother of children.

But it would be a life without music and singing. A life without stage, audience and emotions only she felt only when singing. It would be a life without Erik.

Christine still was puzzled by Erik and she couldn't deny that she was repulsed by his face and afraid of his temper. Not to mention all the things he could do. Christine wouldn't be surprised anymore even if he made streetlamp to dance.

And yet there was something in Erik she couldn't put finger on it. Some unexplained thing that appealed her, that was drawing her closer. She was intrigued by Erik; she wanted to know more about him before she could decide anything. But she was also terrified of what she might found out. She didn't believe that Erik would have never used his 'talents' to do wrong.

These thoughts followed her trough the restless sleep she was having, until she was woken by a strange sound. As she opened her eyes she saw her window open and a strange shadow come in to her bedroom. The shadow moved closer to bed and then started to change. In a matter of seconds in front of Christine were standing a black dressed and a white masked Erik. His eyes were blazing with fire.

"You've betrayed me Christine, you're not wearing your ring!" he hissed.

To her terror Christine realised the gold ring had disappeared from her finger. She tried to say something but no words came.

"You have been planning a life with that young boy, haven't you? I trusted you and this is what happens. I must punish you now" he said and was suddenly on top of her in her bed. Christine tried to move him off but he captured her hands in one of his black gloved hand and raised them on top of her head. "I must teach you a lesson now" he whispered in her ear, so close that she could feel his breath on her face.

Then she realised that Erik's free hand was slowly opening her nightgowns ties. She felt fear creeping to her as she realised what would happen. Or was it excitement…?

Suddenly she felt like her entire body was on fire. Her heart was beating like a thunder and her chest was rising and falling like she would have ran trough the entire opera house. She closed her eyes and realised that what should be damned felt magnificently wonderful. No more cries for help came, only a soft moan escaped her lips.

'Oh my God, I want more' she thought.

Erik raised his masked head in front of hers and she saw his yellow eyes. He was wearing the same mask as in restaurant that allowed her to see part of his mouth. And then his head was coming down to towards hers…

And then Christine realised she was awake, alone in he bed. Her bedroom's window was closed and her nightgown was tied. Erik was not here and had never been. His golden ring was still in her finger.

She felt embarrassed, her face was red and she was still breathing heavily. She knew that many peoples saw dreams like that, but she had seen one including Erik.

And she didn't want it to end!

If Christine had been puzzled by her feelings during the day, now she was utterly confused.

**Chapter 20 The Masked Man's Proposal**

St. Petersburg, Russia February 1881

Walking the streets of St. Petersburg in February was a bad idea if you were lightly clothed. Not to mention if it was 11 p.m. Nadir Kahn cursed his bad luck. Just couple of months ago then he had still been in his native country Persia and now he was here, freezing to death. Nadir was repeating the events in his mind that had lead him here.

Nadir was an ambitious young man and no fool. He was a son of a rich man which allowed him the best education you could have in Persia. Nadir was also very charming and handsome, so it didn't take him long to get among the best of society. Things started to get wrong when he was offered commission in sultanas guards. This had been the last stroke to the men who had envied him from distance some time now. One night they drugged Nadir and put him to ship to take him to Europe. As Nadir had nothing with him but the clothes he was wearing he soon find himself working for food. The ship had brought him to Russia and here he was, still no money to get back home.

Nadir was pulled out of his thoughts when he realised two men was following him.

"Look how he is dressed" one man said.

"Yeah, must be rich" the other answered.

Nadir realised that his clothes must have looked curios to them and that they wouldn't be on a good mood when they realized he had no money. So he started to run from them as hard as he could. For his bad luck it wasn't really hard. He was tired, cold and hungry. The two men were use to Russian weather.

Very soon Nadir found himself between an old building and a frozen river. He entered the building praying the men wouldn't follow him. It was dark inside and there weren't any furniture. This building had been abandoned some considerable time ago then. Or so he thought until he heard music. It came from basement and it sounded so heavenly Nadir thought he had died and moved to the other world.

"Now we got him!" he heard from behind him. Men had entered and found him. They were holding knives. Just as Nadir thought his last moment had arrived another voice was heard.

"Leave this place!" said a voice so demanding that both men were startled and Nadir thought it was devil himself. He turned around to see thin man who seemed to be about his age. Man was dressed totally black. His clothes were simple but obviously expensive. He had long greasy black hair covering his ears. His face was covered by silver mask and his eyes were yellow.

"Look, Ivan. We have two of them now!" other man shouted.

Masked man put a hand to Nadir's shoulder and pulled him out of winds way. A wind that had appeared from nowhere hit the two men and carried them outside. Nadir watch as thieves tried to fight against hard, cold wind but both of them lost composure and fell to the frozen river. They didn't appear back to surface. The wind had also disappeared.

Nadir turned to look the masked man and saw him opening the door and walking stairs down to cellar. For a moment Nadir considered leaving the building, but outside he would surely die. Very carefully he followed silvery masked man.

In the cellar Nadir found a comfortable looking room with warm fire, oil lamp, chair and table, wooden box with blanket in it and piano.

"Was it you playing that I heard?" Nadir dared himself asking.

"Yes" man answered simply, but his voice was anything but simple. Nadir had never heard a voice like that before.

"You look hungry" man said. "There's some bread on the table".

Nadir followed mans gaze and saw a white bread and bottle of vodka on the table. Without much thinking it he literally jumped to the table and ripped himself a piece of bread. Never before had food tasted so good.

Nadir ate in silence until the man asked him where he was from. When Nadir answered Persia man seemed to become interested. He offered the vodka bottle to Nadir and soon Nadir was telling his story to him. Nadir told everything to the man who was at the moment sitting in wooden box. Nadir wondered briefly if he slept there also.

"I have a proposition to you" man said after Nadir had stopped talking.

"I shall arrange you back to your home country if you take me with you" he said. Nadir had certainly not expected this.

"You want to come to Persia?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm quite bored with Europe. A change of scenery would be welcomed. And once we arrive you will be my right hand".

Nadir had totally lost tracks now.

Man continued. "I have a great interest of your homeland's knowledge and traditions and I would like to start…let us say my activities there. You would be my voice. If you are as popular as you say you are then you are just the man to work for me. As a reward I will arrange you an envied place of the society and you can get your vengeance to the men who turned against you".

Man spoke with such an enthusiasm and eagerness that Nadir could actually feel the excitement. He could get back home and somehow Nadir believed that this man could actually get everything he desired. Working for him would be a way back to top. Without giving it a second thought Nadir accepted his offer.

"I am Nadir Kahn" Nadir said, introducing himself.

"Erik Destler" masked man answered simply, obviously on a good mood for Nadir's choice.

But if Nadir would have back in 1881 knew all he now, 1911, knew he would have followed the two thieves to their watery grave.


	6. 21, 22, 23, 24

**Thank you for the reviews, they truly make me happy. I remind you that this fic is already done and I originally posted it in IMDb. Unfortunately it got deleted and readers who liked asked me to post this here so it wouldn't disappear. I'm still glad for all the reviews, this work took about half year from me to finish so I'm very proud of it even when it's not a masterpiece. **

**Chapter 21 Shopping, dinner, past and dares **

Nadir Kahn was brought back from 1881 to 1911 by a sudden voice speaking to him.

"I just don't seem to be able to get rid of you" Erik said slightly, but only slightly, amused. Nadir had been so deep in his memories that he forgot to pay attention to the house he had been observing. It was an old abounded house near Opera House.

"I see that you have found my backdoor" Erik added, now more seriously. "Might I ask why you are making my life so inoperable?"

"I assure you Erik; I'm taking no joy of this matter. But if you harm that young woman quilt is on me, as it was I who helped you to survive" the Persian said, trying to sound more confident than he actually was.

"What young woman are you suspecting me to harm?" Erik asked.

"Miss Daae".

Now Erik stiffened and his voice was soon full of venom. "How many times do I have to say this? I have no intentions of harming her in any way! I'm the last person on Earth who wants any harm done to her".

"Maybe you don't want to hurt her deliberately, but it may still happen. She is young and unable to understand you Erik. Can't you see that you may harm her no matter how good your intentions are?" the Persian was almost begging now.

"Stop that begging, it doesn't suit you. You're shaming the title of daroga" Erik chuckled.

"As if the way I got the title wasn't shameful enough!" the Persian shouted furiously.

"I don't remember you complaining back in Persia when you got the title!" Erik spat back. This silenced the foreign man. Erik continued. "Hear me now, daroga. If you can't live with your decisions be tormented. Don't come complaining to me, I have my own demons to take care of. And if you even consider trying to contact Christine Daae I'm not afraid to do something I'll most certainly regret later" masked man said.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have some shopping to do" Erik added more calmly and melted in the shadows.

Later that very evening Christine Daae returned to Erik's house by the lake. She couldn't deny the fact that she did miss being there. Yet she caught herself being nervous of meeting Erik, especially after that damned dream she had the other night.

When she arrived to the house Erik already had dinner ready. The smell of the food told Christine that it was some exotic foreign food that only very rich peoples had afforded to eat. As they began to eat Erik was again wearing the mask that allowed him to eat, showing little of his mouth. Erik had wear that mask in her dream…Christine blushed furiously for remembering it.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" Erik asked, seeing hers reaction.

"I just…had a hard night" she said quickly. Before Erik had time to question further she changed the subject. "This is really good, Erik. Is this Chinese?"

"Indian, actually and I'm glad you like it".

Christine saw her change to learn more of Erik. "Indian, you say? Have you been in Indian?"

"Among other countries, Christine" he replied, glad of having someone to talk.

"Where all have you been, Erik? Could you tell me?" Christine said, honestly interested.

"Oh well, I had already seen most of Europe when I became twenty. Yes, I travelled lot in those days. I saw plenty of France, Germany, Italy, Romania and Russia, just to name a few. Though I was made to travel in them against my own will I did learn many things. In my twenties I moved to Persia to work in sultana's palace. It was fun as long as it lasted. Unfortunately I became ill and had to return to Europe. I lived three years in countryside near London. When I became better again I travelled in Asia for over a decade. I travelled in many important countries in hope to learn something new. After I had spent over a decade travelling I saw it was time to return back to France".

"You have born in France" Christine stated.

"Yes, near Province".

"Did you immediately move here in the Opera house?"

"No, I tried to find a place up there but I soon realised it was hopeless. Peoples tent to get scared and complain to the landlord when there is a monster living in the next door. So after sometime I decided to move somewhere where I could follow the happenings of Paris and live in solitude".

Christine was totally speechless. She wondered what kind of childhood Erik had had when he had travelled so far. Christine had the passion for anything exotic so she envied how much Erik had seen. Though, she did notice that Erik didn't speak of them with a happy voice, especially not when he had briefly mentioned Persia. Just then Christine remembered the Persian, a man who occasionally appeared in the Opera House and seemed to be always found there where Phantom had been seen.

The Phantom is Erik and the Persian is about same age as Erik, Christine thought. Is it coincidence or do they know each others?

"It's sad" Christine muttered.

"What is sad, my dear?" Erik asked, totally being taken back by this.

"That a man as experienced as you should live down here, in the dark. Don't you miss being up? I certainly can't imagine a life without sun light and wind" she said.

"Oh, Christine" Erik said. "I do want to live up like everyone else. I'm not a normal human being but I am a human. And as any human I also need those little things that everyone else take as granted. I also need sun and wind. I also need to share moment with someone else. I also would want someone in my life to love me. Someone, with whom I could walk on a park on Sundays and laugh with her…, I would dare so much I haven't dared before if there where someone standing with me, on my side…" Erik's first so passionate talk faded in to silence and his eyes that had first burn holes to Christine's head, turned down.

And then, in no more that whisper, he added.

"…as my wife".

**Chapter 22 New vs. Old**

Usually when Jean-Pierre was talking his daily evening walks he could walk without disturbance. Especially if it was summer evenings like this one was. He could take long walks on the roads that weren't crowded by peoples like in Paris. Jean-Pierre loved taking walks in the country and the possibility be disturbed was amazingly low. So you can understand how surprised he was when this particular evening, when he was walking by road admiring sundown, a carriage past him. It of course wasn't unusual for carriage to use this road. What was unusual was to hear how somebody yelled from the carriage:

"HAVE YOU GONE MENTAL?!"

As Jean-Pierre watch the carriage continue its journey he didn't have slightest idea what was problem with the peoples in the carriage. Nor did he really care, either.

In the carriage:

"Please tell me you're joking, Raoul. Please tell me you don't mean what you just said to me" said very angry looking Count Phillip de Chagny to his younger brother, sitting opposite him.

"I meant every word, Phillip. And to be honest I don't understand what is your problem" Raoul defend himself.

"What is my problem?" Phillip repeated as if he couldn't believe his ears. "My problem, dear brother, is that you are willing to put our family name to shame! For some…some…singer girl!" he spat.

Raoul replied calmly. "Firstly the singer girl has a name: Miss Christine Daae. Secondly this is the 20'Th century. Those ideals of nobles only marry other nobles has lived its time. The new age is dawning and I'm going to live in that age. I'm sick of always appearing as I would be batter than anyone else. I'm sick that I can't live my life as I wish or spend my time with the company I prefer. Look around you, Phillip! You always tell me that Europe is ready to explode. Do you think that we will stay the same when the war ends? The world will never be the same again".

"Don't tell me you're planning on skipping you're duty to France" Count said, looking slightly pale.

"Of course not, Phillip, I'm a man of honour. I will serve my country when the time comes. But other than that you have no right to control my life, even when you're the count and I'm viscount".

The two de Chagny brothers fell in to silence, neither saying anything only staring at each others.

"So…" Phillip started carefully "what are your intentions towards Miss Daae?"

"I…I would like to spend time with her. She is incredibly clever girl and caring. The kind you don't find often. You should hear when she sings. It's incredible".

"Why can't you just have your fun with her and get over it?" Phillip asked harshly.

Raoul's eyes flashed with anger. "You mean to take her as my mistress? To make her a whore! No, Phillip no! You may do something like that to a lovely girl like Christine but I won't! I WON'T!" he shouted.

Phillip looked at his brother when he understood. "My God Raoul…you're in love with her, aren't you?" he muttered.

Raoul didn't say anything. Silence was as good as "yes". After another moment of silence Phillip finally dared to talk.

"So I won't be able to make you change your mind?" he asked carefully.

"No, you won't be" Raoul answered.

"You make our mother turn in her grave".

Raoul looked at his brother puzzled. "Our mother is alive, Phillip".

Phillip just smiled. "This will kill her".

**Chapter 23 In which Erik gives Christine a gift**

Christine sat there in the table, in Erik's home, opposite Erik, and didn't know what on Earth she was supposed to do. Had Erik just asked her to marry him? Or had she just misunderstood him? Christine took a deep breathe. She had to be careful of what she would do now. It was frustrating not to know what Erik had meant.

"Erik, I…" she started carefully but didn't really know how to end it.

"Yes, my dear?" the masked man opposite her asked.

"Did you just…you just…?" she muttered but couldn't really voice her question. Suddenly it was so silent that Christine was sure she heard the water splashing in the lake outside the house.

Then suddenly Erik rose from his chair. "Hope you can forgive me, Christine" he said.

Christine was taken so back that she could hardly choke: "What?"

"I've kept you up too long. It doesn't do well for your voice to not have sleep".

This sudden change of subject amazed Christine enough that she could just nod in agreement. As she looked at the clock she was surprised to see how much it actually was. But then again, in Erik's world time looses its meaning. For a moment she considered she must be dreaming but then she thought that her dreams of Erik wouldn't be like this.

As she went to her bed she couldn't help but think all the questions she had to ask from him. Who is Erik? What is Erik? Where was he born? Who were his parents? Does he have any brothers or sisters? Where did he learn to play so incredibly? What kind of live had he been living?

Christine held no fantasies that if she would ever receive answers to these questions they wouldn't be happy answers. Erik's face added to his solitude and hatred towards other world was proofs of that. This in her mind Christine fell in troublesome sleep.

She woke up only few hours later with knocking on her door. "Christine? Christine dear, wake up" she heard Erik saying. As Christine looked at her clock her suspicions were confirmed; it was very early yet, even the sun hadn't rise up.

"Erik is something wrong?" she asked behind the door.

"There is something I would like to give to you but I'm afraid it can't wait for a moment longer. Dress yourself enough to be warm and come out" he said.

Christine would have liked to question him but then thought better of it. Instead she dressed herself enough to be decent and then pull a warm blanket to her shoulders. When she opened the door she wasn't greeted by Erik but by Phantom of the Opera. Erik was dressed again entirely black with long black cape and black hat. He didn't seem to have mask but once again, like the time he brought her here from the cemetery, black scarf covered his face. Only the yellow eyes could be seen.

"Ah, there you are. Come along, my dear, we have to hurry up now" he said and moved to the door.

"Are we going outside?" Christine asked.

"Yes, now come along or my gift will run away" he said.

Very soon very confused Christine found herself in the boat going along the serine's river. Then the endless tunnels back to up to abounded house and there to street where carriage were already waiting. Erik helped Christine to the carriage and then he jumped to drivers place. Christine sat in the middle of the red seats in the black carriage. She was still so sleepy that when she closed her eyes she fell back to sleep.

She woke up when the carriage stop. The door opened and Erik held his hand. As Christine took it he started to speak.

"I am truly sorry for waking you up so illegally early. Here am I; the one who has been teaching you how important the sleep is to a singer. What a hippogriff I must seem to you now. But I would never forgive myself if I wouldn't give this to you. So few people realise all the gifts that are around them" he said. Christine wasn't sure was he talking to her or himself.

She looked around her. They weren't in the city anymore. The ground wasn't stone but earth. She could see the roofs of houses and Eiffel tower far behind them. They seem to be in the middle of a road. On the other side there were trees and field. On the other side there was a lake. The sky wasn't dark anymore but sun hadn't rise yet. Early mists seem to cover everything so it seemed they were surrounded by fog.

Then Erik took her by her shoulders and made her look at the lake. "There…your gift has arrived" he whispered.

Christine looked at the lake, trying to see what she was supposed to see, but couldn't understand what it was. And then it happened. Other side of the lake there were also trees and behind them morning light started to appear. The moment light hit the mist over water everything seemed to change. Trees that before had seemed strangely blue turned to green, the fields that had seemed white turned to yellow, and the mist seemed to move aside showing water that had been waiting underneath it. For Christine it seemed as if the entire nature had been sleeping and then suddenly woke up to greet her. Christine had always been a little child of nature, and for her this was more beautiful than any music she had heard or painting that she had seen.

She turned to Erik with small tears in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you" she muttered. Then she surprised them both by throwing herself against Erik, putting her arms around his neck and burying her face to his chest as he was so tall compared to her.

Erik knew she would appreciate this but this he hadn't expected. It took him of guard and felt incredibly wonderful. He hoped she would never let go of him.

**Chapter 24: Behind Closed Doors**

Persia, July 1885

Nadir Khan was extremely nervous when he got closer to the door. Every brain cell of his was shouting to turn back and leave. To forget these suspicious he had been having. But his conscious wouldn't allow him to back away. As he moved closer to the doorknob he remembered how Erik had changed his life.

When the two of them had returned to Persia from Russia they had followed Erik's plan. Nadir had used his charm and connections and became "the voice of Erik". Erik himself stayed hidden and studied the ancient history of Persia. Somehow Erik always found a way to get in to the strictly forbidden libraries. Nadir wasn't sure what Erik had been looking but sometimes he stayed there many days and nights.

Sometime after that Erik had made Nadir to introduce him to the young sultana, a bloodthirsty woman who had no quilt or moral. It was easy for Erik to get her under his will. He invented and build houses for her, that usually had many different trap doors, secret rooms and, sultanas favourite, torture chambers. Especially terrifying was "the Room of Mirrors" that only purpose wasn't killing but drive the victim to insanity. Nadir wasn't sure how it worked and he never even wanted to know.

In a few years Erik had become a leader of a cult in Persia. This cult contained several important peoples from Her Majesty's palace as well as priests and scientist. Nadir had never seen what this cult actually did in its meetings. Erik had arrange him to be chief of the secret police; daroga. First Nadir had been excited of this job, but lately he had realised why Erik had truly gave this job to him. Erik had made Nadir chief of polis because of Nadir's credibility. Nadir kept the peoples of Persia happy and satisfied with his charm. And so nobody realised how many peoples from the gutter had actually disappeared during the last two years. Nadir also wouldn't have if he hadn't compared some of the statements that had been given. To his shock Nadir realised that over 120 peoples had disappeared; peoples of the lowest society, the ones nobody would miss. And all the tracks lead to the cult and to Erik.

Nadir didn't first want to believe it. During the years Erik and he had become quite good friends, though Erik would deny it to his deathbed. Now Nadir couldn't close his eyes and ears anymore, he had to know the truth. Very slowly he opened the door that he knew would lead to cult's meeting place: a mosaic Erik had build. Nadir entered to the dark staircase which leads to underground. As Nadir headed down he could smell something horrific; blood and rotten flesh. Whit all courage he had Nadir approach the lowest step and look in the room.

The room was huge; it looked more like a cave. There were probably 20-30 peoples in the room, all gathered in to a circle. Only light they had been the light of the dozens of candles. The walls of the room were covered with shells full of glass bottles. In the bottles there seemed to be some kind of liquids and even some organs. In the middle of the room, middle of the circle, was a table. On the table laid a man and above him stand Erik. He was wearing a long dark robe and unemotional metal mask. His shinning eyes were directed to the man. Man's stomach had been opened and Erik seemed to very skilfully remove his organs and dump some liquids to the man. Nadir almost threw up when he realised that for some infernal reason the man Erik was cutting was still alive.

Need to look somewhere else overwhelm him and he looked at the roof. Immediately he wished he hadn't. The roof was full of hooks and almost in every one of them there was a human hanging in it, head towards the ground like a bat. Bodies were naked and they were mutilated. Some were missing a limp, some skin, some organs and so on. Most of them were men but some women were there also. Nadir dropped his gaze and saw Erik's two piercing shinning eyes directed to him. Nadir ran away.

That night Erik let himself in to Nadir's home.

"What in the hell were you doing there, daroga?" he shouted.

"What the hell is it you and your supporters are doing there, Erik!" Nadir shouted back.

"What we are doing there is none of your business and you would sleep your nights better if you didn't know anything about it. You're such a fool, Nadir" Erik said, the last bit coming out as a sigh.

"Why do you do it, Erik?" Nadir asked desperately. "What possible reason?"

"Why?" Erik repeated, almost amused. "Ever since I was born I have been living with this cursed face of mine. But I was also born with something else. I have always felt it inside of me, this force almost like nature. In my time here I have been learning how to control it. You know I can control animals and weather if I chose to. But I wanted to know could I do something else. And then I heard them".

Nadir could feel his cold sweat. "You heard…who?" he carefully asked.

"I don't know what to call them. They don't live in this world but somewhere else. And they have been guiding me. I am so close to the reveal some of the greatest secrets of life; I only needed those fools and their power. And raw materials".

Nadir's eyes winded. "You mean those peoples. You think of them as material to use in your work!" he shouted.

"Most of them were criminals; a rapists. They would have do harm to other peoples and they would have been executed. Why is it wrong to take what use of them still is?" Erik now asked.

"What gives you the right to think you can play God, Erik?!" the Persian shouted.

"Power gives me the right! This power is mine and Erik will use it as he pleases! And nobody comes to my way! Nobody! And if you even consider trying to stop me, daroga, you will find that pretty young woman you have been eyeing lately eaten by ants!!!" Erik shouted like wild animal.

And before Nadir Khan could do anything his quest had already disappeared.

**This is the sixth posting so four to go still. **


	7. 25, 26, 27, 28

**Chapter 25: In the Absence of Light, Darkness Prevails **

Paris, June 1911

After enjoying that beautiful sunrise and eating breakfast with Erik Christine returned back to Mama Valerious. She felt something wrong immediately when she reached the stairs. The door to Valerious flat was open and couple of neighbours were trying to see in. Christine felt her blood go cold as she reached the apartment. Before she was in she was stopped by Mama Valerious doctor Jarrod.

"Doctor Jarrod, is everything alright?" Christine asked immediately.

The elder man guided her in to the living room. He then took a deep breath.

"Mademoiselle Daae, maybe you'd better sit down" he said.

Christine felt tears in her eyes as she the realization hit her. "She's…dead" Christine whispered.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss Daae" doctor said.

Christine's hand covered her mouth as she tried to steady her breathing. "W-was…she…in a-any…pain?" she muttered.

Doctor shook his head. "No, she died very peacefully in her sleep".

Christine sat down to a chair where she didn't rise until three hours later, after arranging thing with doctor Jarrod and authorities. It was evening by the time Christine went back to the opera house; she couldn't sleep in her late foster mother's home. Now she wanted to see Mme. Giry who like Mama Valerious had tried their best to be a mother character to Christine and Meg, the only one Christine had thought as her sister. She knocked the door of Mme. Giry's room wondering how red her eyes must be for all the crying. To her surprise she saw that Mme. Giry's eyes were red from crying also.

"Christine, what's wrong?"

"Mme. Giry, what's wrong?" they asked the same time they saw each others eyes.

"Mama Valerious died last night" she said and was immediately in Mme. Giry's embrace. Giry had met Mme. Valerious only couple of time but she knew how important she had been to Christine.

"Why have you been crying?" Christine asked from elder woman. Mme. Giry pulled away from her and gave her a sad look.

"This is the day of many misfortunes" she said. Then she guided Christine in to her room. Christine saw Meg sleeping in her mother's bed, which was strange as she preferred girl's dormitories, but then Christine noticed a bad looking bruise on her friend's face.

"What has happened to her? Is she alright?" Christine, immediately concerned, asked.

Mme. Giry gave a deep sight. "Oh Christine…Meg was…" the tears were coming from Mme. Giry's eyes as she forced herself to say it.

"What?" Christine asked.

"…raped" Giry said, no more than a whisper.

Christine didn't even bother to hide her shock or silent her gasp.

"Who did it? Who did this to her?" Christine asked, feeling anger and helplessness building inside her as she watched her beaded friend sleeping.

"Alexander; the young stagehand" Mme. Giry said. "He had asked my little Meg to go for a walk as it was fine day. Meg didn't tell me, didn't want to hear my lecturing…" madam's voice faded away as they heard a silent voice coming from the bed.

"Mama…" said Meg. Christine started to cry. She had always known Meg as strong and independent, but that voice was like a little child's who has lost: filled with sorrow, loneliness and fear.

Mme. Giry fell beside the bed and gently stroked her daughter's hair. "Shh…sleep now. I'm here and I'll be here when you awake, my child" she said. As Meg fell back to sleep her mother gave up to the tears. "My daughter…" she silently cried. "My beautiful daughter…"

Christine couldn't take it anymore. Less than a 24 hours she had seen how easily world can change from beautiful and happy to ugly and dark. Why was the world so full of darkness, she asked from herself. She ran away from Mme. Giry's room, ran through the halls and corridors of the Opera house until reached the chapel where she had for years listened Erik's voice. She fell to cold stone floor and started to yell.

"Erik…Erik...ERIK!" she yelled as loud as she could, crying all the time.

It only took couple of minutes for the dark figure to appear from nowhere. Christine raised her head and saw a tall man dressed in black and a mask on his face. The moment she saw his unmistakable eyes she leaped toward him, crying to his chest. Slowly Erik's arms pulled her to embrace.

"Christine, tell me what is wrong" he said gently and obviously concerned.

"Everything" she said. "Take me to your house by the lake. I can't stand being here".

Erik took her hand and in a few moments they had reached to his underground home. He made her a strong tea to help her relax a bit. She drank it and told him everything. Erik felt sad, not for Valerious or Meg, but for Christine. Just this morning he had seen her happy watching the sunrise, she had laughed and danced. Now she just wanted to surrender to oblivion. Erik knew the feeling very well.

It wasn't really late yet but Christine was exhausted and Erik carried her to her bed. As he turned to leave he felt her taking his hand.

"Please, don't go…" said her pleading voice.

Hesitantly Erik placed himself next to her and Christine immediately snuggled as close to him as she could. Erik sang her sleep with his soft voice.

**Chapter 26 Erik's thoughts in the Night**

Erik lay awake in Christine's bed facing the ceiling. Christine had fallen asleep an hour ago or so, and Erik had kept singing with his "angelic" voice so she wouldn't be waking any time soon. Christine had snuggled very close to Erik. She was using Erik's shoulder as a pillow at the moment and her other arm was crossed over his chest. Erik could feel her regular breath in his ear even through the mask.

For him this was awkward. Never before had anyone be so close to him for their own free will. Never before had anyone came to look comfort from him. And why would anyone have? You don't talk to the Devil when you're in grief. But she had come. She had preferred coming to him instead of going to that pompous young viscount. First Erik thought that in her grief Christine wasn't able to think clearly. But surely anyone can see the difference between angel and fiend, right? Unless Christine truly wanted to come to him, as incredible as it sounds.

Erik moved himself to look sleeping Christine more properly, as Christine shifted from Erik to her back. Erik stood to his knees and looked at the angel in front of him.

"An angel?" he thought "Goddess more likely".

Even though Christine didn't seem to realise it she was incredibly beautiful to Erik, who had learned to see past that what the shallow world above him called "beauty". To Erik beauty wasn't about hair colour, or colour of the skin or how big breasts were. To him beauty was what he heard in voice and what he saw in eyes. In Christine's voice he had always heard earnest and understanding. True, sometimes she may have spoken to him carefully, afraid of his reaction, but she didn't fear him. Or if she did it wasn't the same way as everyone else did. There was no hate in her fear towards him. And her eyes…Erik were always amazed by the purity he saw in them. Not exactly innocence, for Erik had long since learned that no-one was innocent. But in Christine had always eye for true beauty, that's why Erik knew she would appreciate the sunrise.

Erik almost felt like crying suddenly. He thought about his past and was afraid of what Christine would think of him if she knew. Suddenly Erik's yellow eyes winded. It wasn't 'if' she would ever know it was 'when' she would know. Erik felt the most worthless creature living. He had been leading her, keeping her under his will and put his ring to her finger without letting her know about the nightmare that was his past. Erik knew he could not continue and he felt desperate knowing he had to come clean to her. He felt like crying but refused to do so. He hadn't cried in decades, crying was for weak.

He suddenly heard a soft moan coming from Christine's mouth and saw that her lips were slightly parted. Erik felt his knees go weak and his breathing going shallow. Oh, how he wished he could remove his mask and bent down to taste those lips. But kissing this goddess was something he didn't have right. He loved Christine and therefore was going to give her a chance; a chance that might cost him his happiness. He was going to tell everything to her and then ask her to be his wife. He was going to risk everything in order to gain everything.

Erik heard another moan and left her to the bed. If he'd stay longer he might lose control. Especially when a very personal part of him had suddenly reminded him that Erik was also a man. This surprised him. It had been years since he had last had these needs, last time before he came to Paris opera house. It happened in Siberia 1897. Erik had been travelling around the world looking for other men like him, men who had born with this kind of gifts as Erik like to put it. He had met only couple of like him, and their gifts were so meaningless compared to him that some of them didn't even realise they had them. The last person who had a gift was a Siberian monk named Grigori (AN: ten points to one who guess who I'm referring to!). Grigori had the gift but he was so consumed by the lust of drinks and flesh that he disgusted Erik. Erik gave up of his search and started to look for a place to settle down. He found it couple of years later in Paris opera house.

Erik pushed his memories about Grigori away and went to his private laboratory. This one of the rooms he had forbidden Christine to enter. It was full of dangerous liquids and he didn't want Christine to get even near them. He went to his cabinet and took a small bottle of green liquid. The years in Persia had teach him a lot about human body and this liquid was one of many Erik had made. Erik had started to think that Opera house was his kingdom and here he was king, emperor, sultan, pope and God. It was his duty to take care of it and its peoples; as long as they obeyed the rules of their king he always took care of them and didn't see point in punishing anyone. Last time he was forced to punish someone was in last February with that Joseph Buquet fellow. Idiot had disobeyed the rules and went to look for the phantom. Well, he certainly found him. Now Erik took the green liquid, put it to his pocket and went up to opera house.

He let himself to Mme. Giry's room. It was dark and he saw both Giry women sleeping in same bed, younger having a nasty bruise on her face. Mme. Giry immediately felt the Phantom's presence in the room. For years she had known him to be flesh and blood, but she wasn't foolish enough to question him. She obeyed and kept the opera ghost's legend alive (AN: Hehe, a little crossover between Leroux and 2004 movie).

Mme. Giry rose little, staring at the dark room, knowing she would not see him. "Monsieur le Fantôme?" she whispered, little terrified.

A silent, angelic voice answered. "Do not worry, Mme. Giry. I heard about your misfortune" he said gently.

Giry turned to look at her sleeping daughter beside her and felt new tears coming to her eyes. "It's wrong, monsieur, she didn't deserve it".

"Nobody deserves to be treated like that" Erik said. There was nothing he hated more than rapist. He considered even murdered be a better person. He took the liquid from his pocket and placed it to Giry's bedside table. Madame saw a glimpse of his hand. She looked at the bottle.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It's for your daughter. Put it to her tea next morning" he said.

"What will it do?"

"Help her to avoid possible blessed state" he said. He had often put this drug secretly to the drinks of some chorus and ballet girls who had partied little too much with young men. The reputation of his kingdom will not be ruined. "It won't harm her, I assure you. She will be healthy and capable of having children in the future".

Mme. Giry took the bottle and held it tight. Her daughter wouldn't have a bastard child and whores reputation. "What about Alexander?" she dared to ask.

"He will be punished" Erik said.

"Thank you" Giry whispered. She then added "What should I do now? How can I help her?" she asked, her voice trembling now.

Erik thought for a moment of his mother and what he wanted from her. "Love her, be there for her" he said and slipped off of the room. He was going to need some sleep for tomorrow he had a long day.

**Chapter 27: Arranging Funerals**

Christine didn't want to open her eyes. When the consciousness came back and she remembered what had happened yesterday she just wanted to slip back to oblivion. She didn't want to remember Mama Valerious empty house that was waiting for her. She didn't want to remember bruised face of Meg Giry and her desperate mother. It seemed that after that beautiful sunrise Erik had showed her nothing had gone right.

Erik.

Then Christine remembered that she had come to him last night. She opened her eyes to confirm that, she was indeed in her bedroom in Erik's underground home. Why had she come here yesterday? "I didn't have anywhere else to go" she thought.

Liar, said voice in her head, you could have go to the girls dormitories or stay with Mme. Giry who probably wouldn't have mind having you there with her and Meg. And what about Raoul, he certainly would have helped you?

"It wouldn't have been proper to go to him" Christine insisted.

But it is proper to see a man who lives as a ghost underground? What is proper and what is not certainly weren't in your mind yesterday. Why did you come to him, Christine?

"I…I don't know" she whispered now aloud.

Yes you do, said the voice in her head. You're just afraid to admit it to yourself, aren't you?

"I knew he would understand these things better".

Maybe, perhaps partly that was the reason. But certainly not the main reason of why you came to him in despair.

"Than what is the main reason?" Christine was getting tired of that voice.

Let us think about this logically. You know what Erik looks like. Usually people would stay away from someone who looks like him. You know he is not mere human. You have seen him do things that bible teaches only devil can do. You have strong suspicious that he has in his past done some horrible things. You wouldn't be surprised if he had killed someone. So why on earth did you come to him?

"Because…because I…" Christine couldn't finish it.

Because you couldn't care less is he murderer, demon, saint, angel or the devil himself. Admit it to yourself, Christine. Your heart admitted it last morning during the sunrise. Didn't you feel how your heart knew the truth when you hugged him? Didn't you notice that you weren't least revolted even when you knew what lay beneath that scarf he was wearing? Why did it feel so right to snuggle against him last night? Why are disappointed that he is not here anymore? Now come on, Christine. You're not stupid. You know what the real reason you came here is.

"Oh my God…" she whispered.

Exactly, said the voice.

Christine was brought out of her thoughts by sudden knocking on the door. "Christine, I know you are awake. I've let you sleep long time but it is lunchtime now. Please come out" said Erik's superhuman voice.

Christine got little fresh up and then went to Erik. As she came to table he was holding a letter.

"Christine, as you were sleeping I took the liberty of starting to arrange Mme. Valerious funerals. Here is the letter with the detailed arrangements. I understand if you don't want to do this now but they need you to tell what kind of funerals it will be" Erik said.

Christine gave him a little smile. "It's alright Erik. I will do it know, its better get over it quickly".

Christine took the letter while eating her lunch, that little what she was willing to eat. She read it thoroughly and wrote a short letter in which she gave the instructions. It was going to be very small and closed funerals. She handed to letter to Erik.

"Maybe you would like to rest for a little time yet? I'm going to post this" he said and disappeared.

Christine did as was told and took a little nap. She wondered for a moment why she didn't feel so out of place here in Erik's home. She woke an hour later with Erik arriving back.

"The funerals will be tomorrow. I took the liberty to send the invitations to those few peoples you mentioned".

"They were Mama Valerious friends more than mine" Christine said. It was then when Christine noticed how nervous Erik looked like. Not that Christine could see his face but his body movements told everything. "Why are you so nervous, Erik?" Christine asked gently.

Erik's yellow eyes looked at her. "Because there is something I need to do but I'm afraid of doing it" he admitted.

"Why do you fear to do something" Christine asked concerned.

"Because I might loose you forever" he said.

Christine's eyes winded. "What is it you need to do?"

Erik took a long deep breath before saying "I need to tell you about my past".

Now Christine almost drop form the couch she was sitting in. For a long time she had wanted to know everything she could from Erik. The idea of knowing Erik's past was terrifying she had to admit. She didn't know what she would learn of him but she knew it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Do you want to know about my past, Christine? Think carefully for if you want I will tell you. I will tell everything without making anything prettier. Everything I will tell will be truth. And after I have told you can't take it back. So you have to be sure Christine. We both know that truth" Erik slightly touched his mask "isn't always beautiful".

Christine looked at the masked man before him and made decision she knew could well destroy that something they had between each others. She nodded her head. Erik sat down to a chair opposite her.

"Very well…"

**Chapter 28: Erik 1859-1877**

As I have told you before, my dear, I was born and raised in France, in the year of 1859. My father had died before I was born so when my mother discovered what I looked like it was double shock. She had expected me to be reminder of the love she and my father shared; instead she couldn't even look at me. Officially I died few days after my birth. My mother was still young and very beautiful and knew she could get married again if she didn't have me as a burden. So she hid me from the world. First to the attic but she soon realised that I couldn't stay hidden forever there. So she took me out of town to a remote country house where the only companion I had was a nanny named Hannah.

Unlike my mother, Hannah didn't hesitate to help if I needed it. She was more mother to me than my real one. Even though she cared of my well being even she wasn't able to look at my face. I think it was for her I learned to tie my mask when I was child. Still, like all children, I longed to receive attention from my mother. She came to visit us only once a week, every Saturday. Every time she came I tried to impress her with my drawings, from very early on I realised I had gift for art, or playing upstairs piano which I also found myself rather talented. But even when she smiled I knew it was forced and when she looked at me I saw how disgusted by me she was. She just wanted to get away from my presence.

I was probably five or six when I started to realise how different I truly was. Hannah took me many times to walk in the woods near out house. One day a man from the village came across us with his dog. Dog was giant compared to me and when it barked I got scared. I went panicked and I took hold of Hannah wishing that dog would go away. And just like that dog escaped from its owner and disappeared. It also started to rain, though that wasn't unusual. It was spring after all.

During those times I started to hear voices. Some of them were hard to understand and they only seemed to be repeating same words over and over again. It was also on those times I started to sneak out on nights to the cemetery near our house. For some reason being close to the deaths and graves was comforting and relaxing to me. I noticed soon that I slept better near graves than in my bed. Many times Hannah had to come and fetch me from there during the sunrise so some poor villager wouldn't cross my path. It was during those trips that I first time seen my face. Hannah had done an excellent job of hiding all the mirrors in the house, but even she couldn't hide the small water pools in the graveyard. It was a hard day. All my dreams of becoming worldwide known musician came crushing down.

Still my life was rather good until I turned eleven. In 1870 my mother was about to get married again and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before husband would found out about me. So she came for us suddenly on Thursday instead of Saturday and said she was going to take me to a carriage drive. I was excited, I thought I had finally earned my mothers love and we would become closer to each others. Instead she got rid of me altogether. She took me to a circus run by travelling gypsies. Circus was specialised of magic tricks, illusions and freak of natures. I found myself very soon behind the bars on my far from home.

Circus was run by Javert, a violent and abusing excuse of a man. In his protection that men do not merely get away from those they are revolted by. They also take some pleasure of seeing them humiliated. Peoples came and paid good money for Javert of seeing me beaten and exposed to the world. The show always begun with me lying in a coffin so everyone thought I was deceased. The he would beat the life to me. I kept the coffin and I slept in it. I was known as "THE WALKING CORPSE". Suited didn't it, my dear? I stopped crying after couple of years, knowing no mercy was shown to a monster like me. I haven't cried ever again.

After some years I provided to be the best source of money Javert had and I was able to pull some strings of his. I guess he was my practise of manipulating humans. He allowed me to have some liberties like dressing more properly and have some books. During my stay in his camp I managed to have some architectural books and I found myself fascinated about the subject. From whatever leftovers I could find I tested my abilities and build different things. I also played whenever I could and stretched the boundaries of my voice as I had found it too was different than anyone else.

But these were not the only thing I seek information. I also became more aware of my other abilities. As the circus travelled across Eastern Europe I heard peoples talk. It took years before I was able to count one plus one but I finally realised that I wasn't the only one with these "gifts". For centuries, maybe even longer, there had been peoples who could control weather and animals, talk to spirits and other unearthly creatures and that these peoples slept in graves and coffins. During the centauries most of the legends were forgotten or mixed up with the vampire tales. I am one of these peoples, I realised. I tried my abilities. If I concentrated hard I could summon wind or a rain, depend on my mood. I figured that these voices I heard could actually be spirits or some creatures beyond human understanding. And I could control some animals, especially beasts. I commanded ants to go to Javert's bed while I was "performing" so he never could blame me.

You see, my dear, not to arouse Javert's suspicions of these abilities I had to play my part of being the weaker one of us. Javert had strange affection towards people who were weaker than him and he abused me…in several ways. For years I allowed him, mainly because I didn't have any other home where I could practise my skills safely. It wasn't until I was 18 years old in 1877 I decided to leave. We were at the Romania during that time. When I was just leaving Javert came to stop me. All the disgusting things he had done came to my mind and I summoned a wolf. I was first going to just scare him but all the faces of peoples who laughed and mocked me came back to my mind and I lost it. I killed a man for the first time in my life by commanding that wolf to attack Javert.

I swore that night that I would try to find my place in this world and learn everything I could of myself. I swore that should I find a place among men where I could be happy and accepted I would make peace with the entire world and with the God that created me. But if I wouldn't, if peoples would only see me as a monster, then monster I would be. I would turn my heart to stone and feel no regret of anything I'd do.

For what else murder is than another art among the others for me to practise and mastered?


	8. 29, 30, 31, 32

**Chapter 29: Erik 1877-1886**

After I left the circus I travelled in the Balkans. I truly lived like a vampire: I travelled nights by forests and little villages and days I rest in some nice looking cemetery that had crossed my path. I had nothing to worry about someone finding while I slept, I had animals guarding me. I searched for more information about me, about my skills. Yet it seemed all the knowledge had disappeared in the shadows of the past from all the Europe.

I decided to stay in St. Petersburg for a time being. There, in the dark without anyone seeing me, I mastered myself as a self-educated musician and architect. The latter was quite difficult as there were so little materials for me to have. As a musician I did succeed. At the age of 20 I performed works to the Tsar of Russia. I was made the offer of becoming the court musician. Idea sounded like I was again circus freak to be showed to peoples, even when cage was more luxurious. I went underground, moved myself to one abounded building in slums of the city. If I'm not too much mistaken my works did leave an everlasting impression to those who heard them. Maybe there are still some peoples in the court who wonders was it magic or simply slice of hands.

Yet, going underground provided me something unexpected. One day a young Persian man came to that same building, hiding thieves that were chasing him. I learned that this man had powerful connections in the court of Persia but jealous peoples throw him to Russia…and to me. With the money I had earned from the Tsar I provided us both a trip to Persia. Young Nadir provided me connections and a secured place in Persia. With that place I was able to spend my time in the libraries of that country and find more information than I could in Europe about my abilities. I did found some records about peoples lived centuries earlier that spoke to spirits and gained a forbidden knowledge. This intrigued me. I was still hearing those voices but I was not able to communicate with them.

No, my dear Christine, I don't hear them anymore. I have learned to shut my ears from them.

But then I wanted to communicate with them. I used rare flowers and plants to put myself in trance. I can't describe the experience to you. It felt like leaving your body and seeing world in spiritual level, past the flesh and blood. I didn't need to ask my questions from the voices they already seem to know them. They provided me with the knowledge beyond any dreams. I became guardian of forbidden knowledge and a master of black arts.

Through daroga, that became Nadir's title as a chief of police, I earned myself a position near those in power. The young sultana was deeply fascinated by everything macabre. I satisfied her by building palaces full of torture chambers and death traps to her and sometimes executing some poor bastard in front of her. By her then I started to have followers. Powerful followers I mean.

I don't know how many lost their lives through my hands. I was determined to have myself more knowledge than anyone else had. Those followers provided me human subjects I could use. Using the directions I had from the other side I looked for answers in human bodies. Just like doctors only I looked deeper.

I did learn a lot about how human works. I created an army of potions for different kind of uses and tested some of them with those subjects. Sadly not always does one succeed on first trying.

This continued for years. Living in middle of all that madness and insanity had took better of me. I whipped myself to continue my researching nights and days. I slept little and kept myself awake with drugs. You see, even though I had already created large collection of different objects that allowed me to appear wherever I wished, even when I knew spells which allowed me to curse whoever I wished for, even when I could talk to unearthly creatures like the siren in the lake and even when I could transfer myself out of my body for a much longer time than anyone else, even then I kept going on, searching for something, I don't even know what. Many lives were lost because of my work and my frustration.

In 1885 daroga found out what my work actually was about, I had kept him in dark for he had come the first person in my life I dared called friend. I did made many appends afterwards to have our friendship back but no use. We were…are both very pride and stubborn men. In that total frustrations I ones again listened the spirits and gain information to…to what? I don't know I just acted.

And then, in 1886, it all turned against me. I remember the day perfectly: I stood in my laboratory, in the cellar of my house. I was tired, exhausted. I stood by that huge cauldron full of good only knows what: potions, herbs, human organs. I had been reading spells for almost five hours without rest before finally something happened. I remember watching there, deep in to that smoking green liquid and seeing something red moving there. What had I summoned from the shadows? What had I given life?

I still don't know for something went wrong. Whatever the thing was, and I can assure my dear it wasn't flesh and blood, it attacked me. I then realised what a fool I had been. Listening to all those spirits whose true purposes of teaching me I didn't even know. Whatever it was I had called from darkness it was out of control. We fought against each others. Before the sight of all demons and angels we fought.

It took everything I had to send it back to oblivion. All my amulets, spells and skills were used and finally after God only knows how long I won. The thing was gone and the liquid in cauldron was now black and a second later on fire. And I was in pain.

Whatever the creature had been it had touched me. With what, I don't know. Creature didn't have a describable form. Was it its hand or tentacle or tail or head that had touched me had put a piercing pain going through my entire body. I looked at the spot it had touched me and saw a purple blue spider web- like bruise. At that moment I felt like paralysed for I knew what was happening to me.

I was dying.

**Chapter 30: Erik 1886-1911**

Yes, my dear Christine, I was dying. And I would have died if it wasn't for my knowledge of forbidden ways. I knew potions I needed to prevent my death and I had the ingredients. Unfortunately potion didn't stop my "illness", it only slowed it down. I was week, incredibly week. Those many nights of working without resting were know being paid back to me. But even in that miserable state I was able to do some thinking. I realised that I would probably spent a long time medicine myself with the potions. In other words I had become useless to sultana. Once she would find out about it my "followers" would hand my head on a plate to her. My only chance was to escape Persia but in my current state I needed help. But who would help me?

Daroga! I needed his help, a help from the only man I had ever called a friend. I had to swallow my pride and literally crawl to him for help. He hesitated first, like I suspected. Our friendship hadn't been the same after he found out about my activities. But finally he agreed, leaving me to die was something his conscience wouldn't allow. Also there might have been the fact that as it was he who brought me to Persia he might be in trouble also. And so he left his homeland and smuggled me back to Europe.

We moved to a quiet little village in Italy. I think Nadir actually started to enjoy his being in there, he enjoyed the food, vine, music and if I recall correctly a certain lovely young woman in there. As he was building himself a new life I was becoming a shadow what I had been. Though potions kept me alive my body was becoming worse. I could hardly use my left hand, both of my legs were limping and even the smallest activity tired me. I couldn't go on like that but a stubborn man as I am I refused to die away. After living as a true living dead over a year I decided to take my chances with forbidden knowledge once again. I used the knowledge and skills I had to prepare myself for a long since forgotten healing ritual. Nadir helped me to collect needed herbs and organs from animals. It would have saved time to do it with human organs but Nadir had made me promise to not harm anyone and in my condition fighting back would have been useless.

Then one summer night I asked Nadir to leave me alone. He didn't object and went to ask Maria for a diner. Maria was the woman's name who cleaned our house once a week with exception of the attic where I lived. In the silence of the night I lighted the candles and started the ritual. I placed myself in the middle of the liquids that I had been making for weeks and started to summon all the spirits that could hear me. Something was happening immediately as I heard distant thunder from outside and dogs barking on the street. I muttered incantations and spells until I could feel how the coldness was coming to the warm room. When the ritual reached its climax I felt like I was being burned alive and drown to icy water at the same time. But it was worth of it. For when it ended I was cured. The spider-web like bruise was gone and I was able to walk and move freely again. I almost went outside to jump and dance but thought better of it. I thought about Nadir and how much I owned to him. I realised the best way to thank him would let him live the life he had created as a cover story for him and keep me hidden. I backed my things and left leaving only a letter to my only friend. And so in 1888 I left Italy and, so I thought then, Nadir behind.

The next decade or so I spend very much just travelling from Far East to Russian and back Europe. I tried to look for other peoples like me but found only disappointments. I looked for extraordinary things that so-called ordinary man wouldn't understand. I have them all over in this house of mine. For example the siren in the lake, I found her in London in 1897, just couple of years before I moved here. She had been kept in an aquarium in a freak show. I stole her and brought her here. She could have left me anytime she wished so but she has been staying here, in the area of my house. And good work she has done by making sure my secrets will stay hidden.

Anyway, so it was in 1899 I moved here. I was so sick of the world above me and its peoples that I wanted to find a pace to live that would provide me protection and also capability to observe Paris society. Life has its little bonuses when I found all this in here: the sanctuary of music! Here I have lived as a nameless legend, ruling this kingdom of mine without seeing anyone above.

But that all changed in 1906.

Do you remember that day, my dear? I do, very well in fact. I remember seeing you running outside the opera house. In the rain, with the only one thought in your eyes: to die. I had seen how desperate you looked when your father died and the moment you left something made me follow you. To this day I don't know what. Maybe it was the look on your eyes, you felt like you were alone in this world. I have felt it too. I followed you to the gutters. It was daytime but it rained so hard I was able to walk without anyone noticing. I saw how you just stand in one of the streets, all wet. What were you waiting for? That it will be so cold you will die? That some beggar will rape and kill you? Whatever it was I knew I couldn't let it happen.

But I didn't dare to approach you. That is when I remembered how you had told other children that your father promised to send an angel to you. And so I sang to you and told you I was your angel and when you collapsed I took you to my arms. You were so little then, hardly weighted at all. I covered you to my cape and carried you back to the opera house where Mme. Giry took good care of you. While I was carrying you I looked down to your sleeping form and something made me swear that day that I would never leave you and never abandon you. And during the following years you became much more important to me than my music or my own safety. The rest as you would say it is history.

I love you, Christine.

**Chapter 31: Confused**

_I love you._

Those three simple words were left hanging in the air. Christine was still sitting on the couch, tough she had moved herself many times during Erik's story. Erik on the other hand hadn't seemed to move at all in that arm chair he was. His shinning yellow eyes were looking very intently at her through the eye slits of the mask. He looked more like a wax statue at the moment then actually a living person. Come to think of it he didn't seem to breathe for a moment.

Christine went through in her head all the emotions she had felt during Erik's story. She had felt sadness when Erik told about his childhood. His own mother couldn't bare a sight of him and even when Hannah helped him she acted very carefully around him. Christine didn't have many memories of her mother except the one where she was running to her as a little girl and her mother took little Christine to her arms. But Christine's father had loved her very much and there had been many hugs after mother had died. Erik's mother didn't hug him and now Christine truly understood what effect she must have been having to the man. During the sunrise last morning, though after his story it felt like a years ago, she had hugged him and felt how stiff he went. Nobody before hr had hugged Erik and Christine could only imagine how this must have affected him. Maybe it was because of that he had trusted her and told his story.

Christine had felt anger during the circus part. His own mother had betrayed him and he had been abused and treated like he wouldn't have feelings. When Erik started to tell his abilities Christine didn't know how to react. Sure she had known that Erik was different in that way but the idea of what all he was capable of was terrifying. And then he had confessed murder. Christine had been prepared for this but it wasn't any easier still. Could this man who had been her friend when she needed really kill a man with cold blooded.

Javert deserved his fate but what about all those peoples in Persia? Did all of them deserve it? Not to mention how fascinated Erik was of the black magic. He was tempering with the forbidden things. He may have spitted the image of God itself. And he had almost paid with his life for it. He didn't seem to have any regret for all those things he did.

And yet she couldn't hate him. Wouldn't it be only right to hate him? To wish he would burn in hell? Why was she incapable of doing so? Why had she felt admiration when he spoke of mastering himself as musician and architect? Why had she felt warm when he reminded of her how he gave her the will to live again? Why did she felt like crying in a good way when he said those three little words?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by Erik suddenly standing up from his chair. He looked at the clock and said he would prepare the dinner. Christine hadn't realised how quickly time had gone.

They ate in silence with the exception of Christine saying: "I can't stay tonight here, Erik. I need little time to…think things over". Erik didn't answer, he simply nodded his head.

After the dinner Erik put his cape and hat on and opened the door waiting for Christine.

"Erik…I want to thank you for being there for me yesterday" Christine said.

Again Erik only nodded and seemed to continue being silent until: "Christine, will you promise one thing?" he suddenly asked. "Will you promise that after the performance of Faust day after tomorrow you will come back here…no matter what you have decided? That you will come back even if only to say…goodbye?" the last part came from his lips with difficulty.

Christine understood Erik perfectly. If she would even once give herself to Erik he wouldn't be able to let her go ever again. She would always be his in better and worse. "I promise" she said and once again Erik nodded his covered head.

He leaded her to one of opera houses corridors and left her, though he seemed reluctant of doing so as if fearing he would never see her again. Christine decided to stay in the girls dormitories as her dressing room seemed too lonely. None of the girls minded her; they were talking about the latest gossip: death in the opera house.

"Did you hear about it? One of the workmen died today".

"He was murdered. I heard he looked terrible when they found him".

"One of the police men told me that he had drunk from the bottle that contained some acid liquid".

"How on Earth would you get a police man tell you anything?"

"How do you think?"

"Poor Alexander, he was so young. Who do you think killed him?"

"Isn't it obvious? Who else would it be unless the Phantom of the Opera?"

Christine had heard that much until she refused to listen more. Alexander had raped Meg so Christine couldn't find it in her heart to feel pity for him but it made her feel strange that Erik would have killed him. She had no doubt in her mind that it wasn't Erik. Who else could possibly put acid in man's bottle?

But it frightened her that she couldn't hate or despise him. That she could only…she couldn't admit it. If she would the bound between her and Erik would become unbreakable and she wasn't sure yet if she would be ready for something like that yet. Still she couldn't deny of feeling already connected to Erik.

Christine got to her bed and looked at the gold ring in her finger. She felt so confused and lost. She needed to talk to someone but whom? With such a troubled mind Christine drift to a sleepless dream.

**Chapter 32: Confrontations**

Christine woke up early after restless and sleepless night. Her mind was still as troubled as before but she decided to put every thoughts of Erik and her future aside for a moment. After all she did have a funeral to attend. Mama Valerious was to be laid rest today. Christine spend the morning drinking tea with Madame Giry who also had got up early. Meg was feeling little better, yet it would take time before she would be able to trust peoples again. Mme Giry didn't seem too shocked about hearing Alexander's death but then again Christine could easily understand that Mme probably wished he would burn in hell.

When Christine did arrive to churchyard she was pleased to see that Erik had taken care of everything. Minister and some of Mama Valerious friends were already there. Mama herself was in a small casket, surrounded by flowers. This is exactly as she would have wanted it, Christine thought.

The sun was behind a cloud and it was windy day. Christine considered moment that she could have asked Erik to arrange that also but thought better of it. Mama Valerious was laid to earth in her coffin, priest read few prayers and some guests told how good person she had been. Christine had cried so much during the last couple of days that she was literally sick of crying. Just one lonely tear escaped down her cheek. She didn't even notice it, or that other peoples had started to leave to their homes when she felt someone to wipe tear away from her face.

"Raoul, what are you doing here?" Christine asked when she realised who it was.

Raoul looked her for a moment before replying. "I'm so sorry for your lost, Christine. I know how much she meant to you".

Christine couldn't take it anymore. She buried her face to Raoul's chest and felt his arms around her. She sobbed quietly as he whispered how everything would be fine in the end. Christine felt strangely relieved for the moment. It was comforting to be like this with the man who reminds her of the time before all these terrible things.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"I went to look for you and neighbours told me about Mme Valerious death. I knew you would be here. Oh Christine, I've been so worried of you. It has been so long since I last saw you. And that was when you disappeared with some man".

There was a pregnant pause.

"I see that you are extremely troubled by something. I want to help you, Christine. Why can't you confined to me?" viscount asked.

Christine took a step back and looked him directly to eyes and saw that he meant what he said. "Raoul, my life is really a mess now. It wouldn't be fair to get you involved".

"But I want to get involved! I want to help you Christine. Why can't you see it?" There was another pause before he continued. "Christine, does…does your problems have anything to do with this…this Erik person?" Raoul carefully asked, not sure what kind of reaction it would wake in her.

Christine's eyes winded enormously, as if Raoul had suddenly grown third eye. "How do you know that name?" Christine asked, and to Raoul's surprise her voice was filled with worry.

"I heard you talk about him in your dressing room, Christine. I'm sorry, I was eavesdropping".

Christine let out a sigh. Raoul placed his hands to her shoulders.

"Please, Christine. I want to help you but I can't if I don't know what is going on. Trust me, Christine" he said.

And on that moment Christine wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to be able to talk about this. But not here, at the cemetery, just after Mama Valerious was buried. She started to think. Erik is expecting her to come with an answer tomorrow after the final performance of Faust.

"Raoul, meet me tomorrow at the opera a good time before Faust starts. I will tell you everything, but it will take me hours" she suddenly said.

Raoul would have wanted to beg her to tell him now but thought that he had pushed her enough for such miserable day. "Very well, tomorrow then" he said.

For the rest of the day Raoul was incapable of getting troubled Christine out of his mind. All he could think was that she was deep in troubles and that nothing would stop him for helping her. When the night came Raoul was sleeping in his Parisian flat with his brother in another room. Young viscount was just getting sleep when he felt he wasn't alone in the room. He raised his head and tried to see in darkness. First he saw nothing but then in the corner he saw a sight that made his blood run cold. Two shinning yellow eyes were looking at him. First Raoul thought that a street cat had somehow get to his room but what kind of cat has its eyes in two meters high?

"Good evening, viscount de Chagny" said a cold chilling voice from the dark. Raoul instantly tried to reach his bedside table for a pistol he kept there but something made him stop. There was something around his throat Raoul realised. He put his hands to his throat and realised it was a rope. He tried franticly to get it off but it wouldn't move in anyway.

"Stop struggling, you only get yourself killed quicker. I haven't come hear to kill you, monsieur le vicomte; I'm here only to warn you. Stay out of the matters that do not concern you! I have given you one warning and from me that's surprisingly much".

And then Raoul felt the rope disappear around his throat and he let out a cry of pain as air reached his lungs. He turned around and saw that a tall dark figure of a man wearing hat and a cape opened the window and jumped down. Raoul quickly went to a window and saw a shadow moving on a street below like everything was okay before disappearing. The bothering fact was that he had jumped from the third floor.

Just then door burst open and Philip rushed in. "Raoul my God! I heard a shout from here. Are you alright!" he demanded.

"He just jumped off and run like it was nothing" Raoul muttered still looking down the street. Philip looked at his brother very worriedly.

**Two postings anymore. **


	9. 33, 34, 35, 36

**Chapter 33: Broken promises, broken hearts**

Christine was pacing around her dressing room like a madwoman. It was few hours to her final performance as Marguerite in Faust and after that she must return to Erik with an answer. Raoul should be here any minute now. Good God, how much she needed someone to advice her, she felt like she was again a little girl waiting for her father to come up with a solution. Still, Christine knew that she had to consider the possibility that talking with Raoul wouldn't help her at all. If it would come to that, what would she choose?

It was obvious enough to say that she and Erik couldn't go on like they had anymore. Christine was afraid of saying that she would stay with him. That would mean she would be his and he would never let her go. Not after years of living in solitude would he ever allow her to leave. This kind of commitment to someone was rather terrifying. And yet the idea of leaving Erik forever was also terrifying. Could she truly live with the Phantom of the Opera? Could she live without Angel of Music?

Knock, knock.

"Christine, it is Raoul" young viscount's voice said behind her door. Christine hurried to open but didn't let Raoul inside. Instead she took his hand a guided him outside her room. "Where are we going?" Raoul asked.

"Somewhere we can speak without anyone hearing us" she said, pulling him with her.

They didn't know that a shadow with two glowing eyes was following them. Where is she taking him? Why is she taking him anywhere at all? Erik followed them from the darkness making sure they or any other wouldn't notice him. Through long corridors and silent halls and stairs up. Finally Erik realised where they were going. No, oh no, not in there! That is my place, my place! The only one that gives me peace here, don't take him there!

But it was too late; for Christine and Raoul had reached the rooftop of the opera house and where standing now close to Apollo's lyre. Erik could only look helpless as she, his angel, had brought another man to this special place for him. Erik moved himself quickly on the top of the statue in order to hear more clearly what they were saying.

"Are we alone here, Raoul? Is there no-one to hear what we say?" she asked from the man beside her.

"I'm positive we are alone, Christine. Now please tell me, what on Earth has made you so frightened?" young man asked.

She took a deep breath. "Raoul, what I'm about to tell you may sound like a story of an insane person. I pray for you to stay quiet till I've finished, no matter how absurd my story sounds like" she pleaded from him. Raoul could only nod his head, ready to receive any kind of an explanation.

And then she told him. Not the entire story, no, for she thought that some things were too personal to be revealed to Raoul. But she gave him to basic picture of what was going. That a man named Erik, horribly deformed and working with supernatural powers, wanted to have her as his wife.

"…and I'm supposed to give him my answer after Faust tonight and I don't know what to do" she said in the end, her voice shaking.

Raoul sat there for a moment thinking of all information she had given to him for the last, he looked at his clock, hour and fifteen minutes. He stood up. "Tell me where he lives, Christine. Show me how to get there. I'll free you from the monster forever" he said while pulling a small gun out of his pocket. He had kept it there ever since last night.

Christine gasped. She hadn't expected a reaction like this nor did she want any harm come to either Erik or Raoul. "No, Raoul, haven't you heard a word I've said. You'd be dead before you had time to blink. He has powers that are beyond our comprehension. He told me that even he didn't always understand them. And don't think he has tricked me. I've lived few past years in the Opera house. I know a theatre trick when I see one and he is no joker" she said.

Raoul sighed and put the gun away. "Well, whatever he is I know one thing. He is dangerous. Do his eyes glow in the dark?" Raoul asked.

"Y-yes" Christine said shakily, she had only told that Erik was deformed but not given any detailed description.

Raoul removed his collar showing an angry red mark around his throat. "Someone attacked me last night. I didn't see his face but I saw his eyes…they were glowing like cats eyes".

Christine almost had tears coming out of her eyes. Erik had tried to kill Raoul…

But I didn't kill the boy, Erik thought above them. I allowed him to live because of you, Christine! Because I knew how it would upset you! Because I want to be good, please Christine. I want to be good for you and only for you…

"Do you honestly think he would let you go if you say no to him?" Raoul asked. "He would just say: 'Oh darn, at least I tried'. No matter what you would say to him, Christine, if you go back to him you won't come back".

"WH-what am I suppose to do then?" her voice was trembling now.

"Don't go to him. Let's leave now, both of us. I can take care of you, I have friends in England. They can arrange us to America or where ever you want to go. Let me take care of you. I…I love you, Christine".

Christine raised her eyes to meet Raoul's and saw honesty in them. "I can't leave without saying goodbye to him. Not after everything he has done. I must sing tonight, to him for final time. Then we can leave, after performance".

Raoul looked at her. "You mean that?" She nodded. "Why won't we leave now…?"

"It would be too cruel from me. I must sing for my angel, one last time" she said and Raoul knew there wouldn't be any way to make her change her mind. Christine seemed to suddenly realise how long they had been here. "I must get ready. You must go to prepare your carriage or car if you can get one by then, Raoul" she said and both of them left the roof and darkening sky. She didn't notice how, caused by her betrayal, the simple golden ring slipped quietly from her finger.

When they had leaved, Erik came down and collected the ring. He was trembling and had tears in his sunken eyes. He rapidly blinked them back. He hadn't cried since he left the circus and he wasn't about to cry. He had to stay strong now. And with each second passing his heart abounded every thought of love and joy it had contained and filled itself with darkness.

Erik snapped his head up to the skies and shrieked with a venomous voice: "I always knew Lucifer is the wisest of your angels! It is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven!" and with that he let out a cry and disappeared.

**Chapter 34: In which Christine decides something, but is it too late?**

Christine could hear the footsteps of many peoples entering the auditorium of the opera house. Faust would begin in 15 minutes. Raoul is supposed to come see Christine to her dressing room before opera would begin, to tell her if everything was in order. Christine sighed. She felt tired for some reason. Even when she had already made her decision she felt like she hadn't made her mind yet. But that was ridiculous for she had made it…right?

Feeling restless she put her face to her hands and then for the first time realised something: her ring wasn't in her finger. The simple yet mesmerising gold ring Erik had given to her was gone. Where and when? She didn't know. But it was that moment when she finally realised what had been bothering her: that after all the things Erik had told her and done, she still had this powerful connection to him. Christine sighed again as she realised she was still afraid to say her feelings aloud even in her thoughts.

But the lack of gold ring from her finger symbolised the lack of Erik from her life. After all that had happened between them: him saving her from almost death in a rainy day from gutter, him becoming her Angel of Music, him giving her his music and trust and love, things a man like Erik wouldn't give lightly to anyone. He had trusted her enough with his past and now she was going to run away.

Christine almost felt like marching to the cellars in order to find Erik's home. She couldn't believe the thing she was about to do. Run away while he was down below waiting for her to come and give her final answer. And then he would finally emerge and discover that she had taken off with Raoul. Christine shuddered as she realised that by doing something as simple as going away and not looking back, she would kill Erik. She would kill the man who the world called monster and yet had never done any harm to her, and he had had his opportunities to do so. That proved that Erik was not a monster, or at least he was willing to try not to be if granted a second chance.

Suddenly Christine felt determination she had never felt before. When Raoul would come she would tell him plans have changed. He would object of course, but if he loved her he would respect her solution. Then she would go back to Erik, though she didn't quite know how, and she would say that…what exactly would she say?

She would say that they were going to be there for each others. Just as he had helped her with her stage fright and lack of self confidence, she would help him. They had to do something to that temper yes, but other than that they could be happy together. And maybe one day Christine would call him her husband and he would call her his wife.

Christine knew that when compared between Erik and Raoul the latter would lose. They had both confessed their love to her in less than a week. But her heart hadn't beaten as fast with Raoul as it had with Erik. And she hadn't felt the same tingling sensation in her stomach when Raoul had hold her on the roof while she told her story as she had felt it when she and Erik danced during the new years masquerade ball.

"I'm going to come to you, Erik" Christine whispered.

"I didn't quite catch that" said the voice of her angel.

Christine turned around and saw Erik standing there in her room, in front of her mirror. Christine was about to tell him immediately everything when she noticed Erik's appearance. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and a black cape and hat. White porcelain mask covered his face and his yellow eyes were shinning with anger and rage. This was not Erik. This was Phantom of the Opera.

"Erik, I-"

"I came to return this to you" Erik said, showing her the gold ring.

Oh my God, Christine thought. He knows!

Without warning Erik got Christine by her wrist and hissed to her ear. "Did you think you and your lover could betray me; the Phantom! Did you feel safe up there, near the angels? Haven't you learned that I'm the only Angel here and it was your decision whether I'd be Angel of Music of Darkness!" he angered.

Christine went to a panic. "No, Erik, please listen to me! I was going to come to you-"she pleaded but was interrupted.

"Don't insult me with your lies, my dear! You broke your promise and now you must live with consequences. From this day forward only Erik will hear your singing!" the Phantom shouted and hissed at the same time, if that is even possible.

Just then the door burst open and Viscount Raoul de Chagny appeared. He was momentarily startled by the sight that greeted him. Just then Erik dragged Christine with him towards the full sight mirror and his gold voice hissed to Raoul.

"You are too late, monsieur le viscount. She comes with me!" his voice filled the room.

This woke Raoul and he made attempt to run towards Erik and Christine, but just then Erik touched the surface of the mirror's glass and a bright flash of light filled the room causing Raoul to raise his hands to cover his eyes.

The light disappeared as soon as it had appeared. When colours finally settled and Raoul was able to look again he only discovered that he was alone in Christine's dressing room. Both Christine and Erik had disappeared but Raoul could still hear the Phantom's diabolical laugh echoing in the room.

**Chapter 35: To the Lair**

The moment Raoul realised that the two figures of Christine and Erik had disappeared he started to look them everywhere from the room. He figured that Erik might have used the light effect to distract Raoul enough for them to slip away from room. When Raoul was certain that no-one was with him in the room or in the hall outside, he moved to the mirror. He touched the glass and sides of the mirror to find out if it was a door to a secret passageway. Again he found nothing.

"Ahem".

Raoul turned around to the voice only to find a man in the tuxedo.

"I was send to call Miss Daae, her turn is in fifteen minutes" the man said.

Raoul jumped towards the man. "He has taken her! Kidnapped her! We must call the police! We must-"

"Wait, monsieur, who is kidnapped?" confused man asked.

"Christine Daae is kidnapped!" Raoul practically shouted to the man's face. "That-that Phantom kidnapped her!"

Man turned to pale and visibly shivered. "T-the Phantom you say, monsieur? You should not speak of things like that so lightly. Not since Buquet and Alexander-"what man was about to say, Raoul never found out. The third man entered the room. This man was also dressed in tuxedo but he had a dark skin; the Persian.

Nadir Kahn put his hand to the man's shoulder and relaxed him. "No word about ghosts anymore. Miss Daae is unavailable to sing, prepare the understudy" Persian said. Man only nodded and left. Nadir closed the door behind them and turned to Raoul who was red with anger.

"I am not crazy! The fiend has kidnapped Christine and the police must be-"he rambled but was interrupted.

"Monsieur le viscount" Nadir said calmly. "I don't think of you as a madman and I believe you. But you must understand that the entire police force is no match to Erik".

Raoul blinked his eyes and watch the man. "You know Erik?" he asked.

Nadir nodded his head. "I can take you to him and Miss Daae if monsieur le viscount will do exactly as I say" he said. Nadir walked to the mirror. Raoul didn't say a word. He just watched as the Persian examined the mirror closely, carefully touching it.

For a moment neither said anything and then Nadir huffed. "Should have seen this one coming: typical of Erik to arrange something like this to people rooms" he muttered. Persian turned to explain to Raoul. "This mirror is a kind of a port, a shortcut if you like" he said.

"Where does it lead?" Raoul asked.

"To Erik's lair I think. I saw some of these in Persia. There are always to two like these. If you go in to one you come out of the other. Where the other is, well…your guess is as good as mine. Still I don't believe Erik would have abounded his home".

"Can you open this port?" young man asked hopefully.

"Not me, I'm not even half of an expert of occult as Erik. And he has probably already closed to other entrance so nobody can follow him". Nadir saw depression in young man's eyes. "But I know another way to there".

Nadir motioned Raoul to follow him and the two men left the room. Persian lead Raoul through halls and corridors, stairs down, always down.

"Where are we going?" Raoul asked.

"To the third cellar, I've seen Erik going there couple of times and I was able to once see where he keeps the door".

"The door?" viscount asked.

"To his lair, Erik is not only a magician but also master of all architects. The fact that he has secretly built secret passageways to this theatre shows how proud he is of his skills".

Both men continued their journey to the cellars. When they finally reached the third one they had to take lamp with them, for there was no light there. As Nadir raised one of the lamps and started to look for the door from one the walls, Raoul dared to question him.

"How do you know this Erik, monsieur?" he asked.

Nadir didn't turn to answer him. "He saved my life once. I was poor, hungry and without home in a land far from my native country. Erik helped me to get back and in returned I closed my eyes from the things he did. I regret it now. But then he become seriously ill and he needed my help. I hoped that if he survived he would use his skills for good. He had so much to give for the world, but his appearance and his own hatred towards rest of the world wouldn't allow him. I hoped he…it doesn't matter now, old man's dreams".

Raoul didn't say anything, but he could hear from Persian's voice that the man felt pity towards Erik.

"Ah, here it is" Nadir exclaimed. "Before we go, monsieur, I must warn you. I have no idea where this will lead, and I wouldn't worry about Miss Daae I wouldn't dare to go further. A workman of this opera house, named Buquet, once also found this door and he never lived to tell the tale. I advice you to keep that gun near" Nadir said, pointing to a pocket where Raoul had put his gun. "Shoot only to kill, do you understand? Hell halts no fury like wounded Erik's".

"What about you?" Raoul asked concerned.

"I have this" Nadir said and held his walking cane. He pulled the head of the cane and revealed the blade it had hided. "And monsieur, what ever happens now, keep your hand at the level of your eyes. The Punjab lasso might strike suddenly".

Raoul held his right hand high, with his gun, and touched his throat with his other, still feeling the marks of the rope.

Nadir pulled the lever on the wall he had founded and a secret door opened. With only one lamp they entered to the darkness. They didn't enter far when suddenly ground disappeared and they fell. Falling felt like an eternity to them both but it didn't take but few second for them to reach the bottom, where ever that was.

Lamp was broken. "Are you alright?" Persian asked.

"I think so" Raoul answered. "Where do you think we-"his question was never finished for suddenly light was coming from everywhere, and both men could see that they were in a small room. Room's walls were covered with mirrors.

Persian eyes winded. "Oh no…not here!" he cried.

"So nice to know you haven't forgotten this room, daroga" said cold voice that seemed to come outside of the room.

**Chapter 36 Bride of the Phantom**

Christine stirred her eyes, trying to see and understand what had happened. She remembered Erik dragging her with him, Raoul appearing and a flash of light. Then everything went black. Now that she blinked her eyes, trying to focus them she saw a fireplace in front of her. She was in Erik's lair. Christine thought that she must have passed out for a moment or Erik must have brought her here some other way.

"Ah, I see you are awake, my dear" Erik's voice suddenly said and Christine turned her head to voice's direction. She saw Erik just like in her dressing room; as the Phantom of the Opera. Erik's shinning eyes were making a hole through her. She saw the pain and hurt she had she had caused to him.

"There is a wedding dress in your room. I want you to go and put it on" Erik said patently, though it was obvious he was starting to run out of it.

"Erik, I-"she tried but he snapped to her.

"Wedding dress! In your room! Put it on! Now!" he cried.

Christine stood up from the chair she had been and walked to "her" room as soon as she could. The moment she was there she closed the door and allowed tears to run free. Christine couldn't think coherently. All she could think was that Erik was angry, she had ruined any chances they had and that there was a terrible pain in her chest where heart should be.

Christine was about to flung herself to her bed when she noticed something there. The most beautiful wedding dress she had ever seen was laid on the bed. Erik had no doubt made it for her precisely. It was beautiful white dress, with some golden ribbons in it. Yet it was not over the top nor did it have any fancy things to much. It was beautiful yet simple just as she preferred. With trembling hands she picked it up, afraid she might ruin it. She brought it close to her body and immediately guessed that it fit perfectly.

With difficult Christine undressed herself from her Marguerite dress and put the wedding dress on. Unfortunately she couldn't see what she looked like in that room for there was only one mirror, a small table mirror. She knew there was a full-length mirror in the room where she had come from. She opened the door and walked towards that room. She heard a quiet music been played by organs and Erik's voice singing a part of his masterpiece "Don Juan Triumphant". His voice always hypnotised her and she couldn't help but walk towards him and listen to his voice.

"_While floating high above,  
I hear, you speak my name.  
Your voice, so sweetly calling me,  
To come to you again.  
I stole into your dreams,  
I touched your soul to mine.  
I gave you music, and soon,  
You must rest here with me.  
Eternally... _

We'll share Paradise,  
We'll share Paradise!"

Erik's voice was not loud but quiet and surprisingly soft. He had closed his eyes or at least Christine couldn't see the two yellow eyes beneath the white porcelain mask. Erik stopped playing and turned to see Christine. When he did Christine saw his body go stiff and his yellow eyes winded. The reaction oddly pleased Christine in some wicked way.

Erik rose from his chair and walked to Christine. He turned her around, he back against him, and hands on her shoulder guided her to the mirror. When Christine saw her reflection she gasped. Christine had never considered herself as a pretty girl. She had watched in girl's dormitories how other dancers and chorus girls put make up and dressed nicely and she had never felt that she could be as pretty as they are. But now as she looked at herself in the wedding dress, though her face was red from all the crying, she looked radiant.

"You are beautiful" Erik whispered. He was standing just behind her. His voice send shivers down her spine and his long bony fingers caressed her bare neck, making Christine blush. Christine felt euphoric all of a sudden and closed her eyes, raising her other hand to touch Erik's cold one. For a moment they both just stood there, with no idea of time and place.

The spell was broken by a sudden sound filling the room. Christine jumped a little.

"Don't worry, it's only the doorbell. Our guests have arrived" Erik said walking away from slightly confused Christine. Erik walked towards a wall which Christine remembered Erik had said to be left alone. He waved his hand in front of it and wall suddenly opened. Behind it was glass and behind glass was a room covered with mirrors. In the middle of the room stand the Persian who Christine had seen couple of times and…Raoul!

"Allow me to explain little, my dear. This glass that separates us from them is not normal. It's a window for us but a mirror for them. We can see them but they can't see us" Erik said, pulling Christine towards the glass.

"So nice to know you haven't forgotten this room, daroga" Erik said to the Persian man who was obviously in panic. "Maybe you also remember what it is used for?" he added.

"Erik, what are you talking about?" asked concerned Christine.

Erik turned to her and cruel chuckle was heard beneath the mask. "This, my dear, is a mirror chamber; the cruellest torture chamber known to man. I created it to the sultana in Persia. Allow me to explain how it works. You can probably see how light is reflected from the mirrors, eh? Very soon those two are going to be very thirsty, then tired, then they start to see hallucinations and ultimately they die as their brains literally boil in their heads. I'd say they have about 15 to 20 minutes time before any permanent damage is done".

Christine was as white as her dress. "Erik, please don't…"

"No use of praying or begging, Christine! I trusted you to treat me like a fellow human of trusting me enough to come to see me face to face and tell your decision. Instead you decided to run away. Well, rules have changed then" Erik raged now like a wild animal.

"I have told you I will not harm you, Christine" Erik continued. "Either you will watch as viscount there will die and then you don't have to ever see me again. Or…" there was a pause as he took a deep breath "…or you will save his life by marrying me and be my faithful wife till the end of our days".

Christine stared him in shock. She had to make him understand that this is useless. That she was going to come to him just before he entered her room. She had to…

Christine's thought were interrupted by a new sudden sound filling the room. It was a strange exotic singing coming from the lake outside. The siren, Christine thought.

"Hmm, seems like we have more guests" Erik muttered.

**The song _While Floating High Above_ is from Ken Hill's original musical production of Phantom of the Opera that came before Webber's version. **


	10. 37, 38, 39 and 40

**Chapter 37: The Call of the Siren**

Count Philip de Chagny was not in his best moods. It was bad enough the he had to become his brother's keeper and make sure he would not do anything foolish, but get a headache because the same brother suddenly disappears is pushing the limits. Count de Chagny had been worried of Raoul's relationship with Christine Daae for some time now. After the night he had entered the Raoul's room to find him gun in his hand by the window saying someone had jumped out, he knew he had to do something about the situation. In Philip's mind Christine had somehow influenced Raoul's state of mind in a bad way.

"That wicked woman" he muttered. "I'll show her to mess up with noble men".

To Philip de Chagny's ultimate surprise Christine Daae didn't sing this night and Raoul didn't appear to his box. Philip left the opera before it had properly even begun and headed to meet Moncharmin and Richard, the manager of this so-called opera house. He knocked three times to their doors with his silver headed cane before Moncharmin finally opened the door.

"Monsieur le count, what owes us this surprise" Moncharmin said, obviously panicked that this noble man had something complaining about.

"I wish to know where Mademoiselle Daae is" count de Chagny said as calmly as he could. To his surprise both Moncharmin in front of him and Richard, who had been sitting behind his desk, grew paler immediately.

Moncharmin found his voice first. "We do not know where our current diva is, monsieur, but I can assure that her understudy is fully qualified to take her role".

"I am not interested of the show. I wish to speak to Mademoiselle immediately" count said and hit the floor with his cane.

Richard rose behind his seat. "Monsieur le count, the situation is that we have received instruction that La Daae will not appear this evening and that we must not question her whereabouts at all".

Count Philip's eyes winded. "You are the managers of this opera house. Who on Earth is giving instructions to you?" he demanded.

Moncharmin and Richard changed glances before the latter continued. "We can not tell you anymore than we already have, monsieur count. And believe me when I say that even if we would tell you, you wouldn't believe us".

Richard and Moncharmin had every right suspect that count de Chagny would believe them, even if they did tell the truth. This "Phantom" who had been haunting them the moment they step inside this opera house had proved to be superhuman in more than just one ways. Sometimes his laugh could be heard in silent halls even when you couldn't see anybody. He knows your deepest, darkest secrets that you haven't confess even to a priest. Whenever it was time to pay him his salary of 20 000 francs they just had to be put to a pocket and they disappeared. Not to mention that during the last performance of La Daae managers had sneaked in to box 5 to see if anyone truly was there. For a moment they though they saw a tall thin figure of a man standing in the shadow but in the blink of an eye it had disappeared. Neither Richard nor Moncharmin entered to box 5 again.

So it didn't take a genius to figure that both men would prefer stay silent about it.

Phillip looked both men like he was having a stroke. Never in his life had anyone from lower class dared to refuse to give him what he wanted.

"You will hear of me!" count shouted and stormed of the office. He ran through halls of the opera house, asking random peoples if they had seen Miss Daae or young viscount. It was finally one of the workmen who said he had seen viscount de Chagny in the company of the foreign gentleman going down below.

_Down below! This day just keeps getting better, I see… _

Count stormed to the cellars, ready to hit his brother with the cane to the head and give a strong piece of mind to Miss Daae who no doubt was all over his brother.

Count cursed his bad luck when he realised that he needed a lamp in the cellars and even more when he realised how many cellars the opera house truly had. He had heard stories of the Paris underground catacombs, but never before had he had a need to actually see them. "Better not to go wonder around" Philip muttered. "One might get lost in here".

Philip went stairs down and down, but he didn't see even a glance of Daae girl, Raoul or the foreign gentleman whose part in this play Philip didn't know.

"I wouldn't recommend you to continue, sir".

Philip whirled around and almost cried when he saw a flaming head in the darkness. It took him a moment to realise that in front of him was standing a man holding a lamp to his face. Man smell terrible and his teethes were yellow.

"Don't mind me, sir, I'm just the old rat catcher of this opera house" man said. "Somebody's got to do the dirty work; otherwise the entire theatre would be crawling all over them. The rats I mean, sir" rat catcher said, giving a smile that almost made Philip disgusted.

"Tell me, my good man, have you happened to see a young gentleman in a tuxedo here, or a young lady?" Philip asked.

"Can't say that I have, sir, this really isn't a place for young peoples to socialise. Only ones I see here is the rats, sir" man said a raised his other hand which was holding a sack. Something was moving inside the sack and Philip heard a terrible noise coming from inside. He had always hated rats.

"Have you seen a foreign gentleman then?" Philip asked impatiently, wanting to be rid of man's company.

"A well dressed dark skinned man? Not today but a few weeks ago then I did see him here. He was going down there" man said pointing a hand to the darkness. "There is still a one more store below us".

"Thank you" Philip said and started to head towards the darkness. Suddenly he felt the rat catcher's dirty hand on his shoulder.

"In the name of virgin Maria don't go in there, sir. There is something evil living down there. For the last ten years not one rat has entered there. In fact, sir, they seem to avoid the place by all cost" rat catcher said.

"No rats there? Even better for me!" count said and continued to the dark.

They are probably having some secret meeting there, Philip thought. The dark skinned man is probably their helper and has been coming here to make sure they know the path. Count walked carefully slippery stairs down to the fifth cellar where, to his ultimate shock, was not as dark. The place seemed to be covered by some bluish light that came from the underground lake. Philip had also heard stories of the lake but never thought he would actually see it.

Suddenly he heard a voice from the dark. A soft, singing voice seemed to fill the cave. The voice was so soft, so pure and innocent. It reminded him of something so long forgotten. He remembered the days of his youth in Austria. He remembered the young woman who had set him on fire by merely walking in the same room. The woman who he had admired, who had smiled to him sweetly and who had been the first to show him just how many ways you can love. Philip felt himself starting to cry. He hadn't had such a wonderful feeling since his youth, so many years ago then.

For a moment Philip was broken from the spell and he saw in the dark a two shinning cat-like eyes looking at him. But this didn't last long, when he heard a male voice whispering something and the song begun again and with it came that wonderful feeling. Philip refused to let go of this feeling he had so long ago then forgot. He reached out to emptiness and started walking towards the sound and the song. He felt ground disappear beneath him and then he was under the water. Beneath the surface he heard the singing more clearly. He didn't bother himself by the facts that it was dark and cold. For the first time in years Count Philip de Chagny felt himself carelessly happy again.

He closed his eyes and surrendered to it.

**Chapter 38: The Decision**

Christine was pacing in front of the window which revealed Raoul and the Persian in the mirror chamber. Both men were sweating and were had taken off their coats and waistcoats. Raoul was obviously loosing his sense of balance and the Persian wasn't doing much better.

"For God's sake, Christine" she heard Raoul beg from behind the glass "leave this place while you can".

Christine shook her head before remembering that neither of men could see her. "No, Raoul, I'm not going to run. Not this time. I know what I must do and I'm so sorry that I got you into this, Raoul" she said, her voice surprisingly strong still, considering the stress of past few days.

"It is I who should be blamed for getting you hear, viscount" the Persian said, also now showing sings of loosing balance. "And I agree with monsieur de Chagny that you should go, Miss Daae-"

"Shut up, daroga, you're annoying me greatly tonight".

Christine wasn't sure when Erik had came back but there he just suddenly stood. He waved his hand in front of the mirror and Christine couldn't hear anymore the Persian's voice. She still saw both men and their lips movement, but the sound was gone.

She turned to Erik, determined to make him realise. "Erik, you have to understand that I was going to come back to just before you barged into my dressing room".

"Haven't I told you already that your lies don't matter anymore, Christine?" Erik said with a hissing voice. "What matters now is your choice. I've given enough time to you, my dear, more than enough. Make it now! You are trying my patient!" he shouted the last bit.

Christine didn't flinch. She took a step forward and said spoke with a steady voice. "I was just about to come to that, Erik. This all is unnecessary, all this threatening and scaring peoples. My decision was already made before you appeared".

Erik was standing without moving. He kept his yellow eyes on Christine, taking her words in. Her eyes were showing him the very answer he craved for and now when it was represented to him, he hesitated. Never before would anyone given something so marvellous to him freely unless…

A low chuckle was heard underneath the mask. "I see. You want me to set the boy free and then…what? You would be my wife, eh?" he asked with a bitter, mocking voice. "And then what would you do, my dear? Drown yourself in the river perhaps? Or throw a dagger to your chest and die in your wedding dress? It would be shamed to cover that with blood…" his voice disappeared.

Christine felt infuriated and frustrated. "Why are you thinking that I would kill myself? Isn't marrying me what you wanted?" she asked desperately.

"I WANT A LIVING WIFE!" Erik cried and turned around, his shoulders violently shaking.

Christine looked at his back, understanding dawning. Erik had not expected her to choose him out of free will. He had expected to kill Raoul or gaining a prisoner for himself. Christine turned to look Raoul who was now on the ground while the Persian was looking something on the wall, eyes winded with fear. Hallucination probably, Christine thought.

"Erik" she said softly and touched his shoulder, which stopped shagging immediately. "Close the light from the chamber. Let them go free and I'll show you that you will not marry a corpse".

Erik whirled around, eyes boring to her. For a moment he just stood there watching her. Then he turned to the glass and waved his hands in the air. The light went out, so that black glass was reflecting only Erik and Christine now. In the next movement the glass opened and Erik stepped in. He returned carrying unconscious Raoul de Chagny in his arms and took him to Christine's room, laying him to her bed. Very tired looking Persian followed Erik.

Erik moved to the kitchen and returned very soon with a two steaming cups in his hands. He handed both to the Persian. "Stay with the boy, daroga. The tea will help you" he said and moved out of the room, closing door behind him. He came back to Christine, who was now practically radiant and smiling. Erik felt a piercing pain in his chest. Christine took a two step to Erik and with a slow movement, not to alarm Erik, she reached to his mask and took it off.

They stand there looking at each others. For the second time in her life Christine saw his face. A yellow-skin covering the skull, thin lips hardly concealing teeth, sunken yellow eyes in his skull and a black hole there where should be a nose. She looked at him without the slightest feeling of revolting. She congratulated herself for being able to watch him. A small smile appeared to her face when she took the final step to him.

"From here on I call myself your wife, Erik" she said. The decision had been made.

Erik's body was beginning to tremble as he took her face to his hands and felt almost ecstatic when she didn't flinch away. He lowered his head down and put his lips to her forehead. He raised his head up again to watch Christine…who hadn't died! She was still there, smiling at him. She put her arms to his shoulders and rose to tiptoes. Still smiling she put her lips gently to his.

The kiss wasn't deep or passionate and it didn't last long, but it was very intimate being the first for their both. Christine broke apart and for the first time saw a ghost of a smile on Erik's deformed features. And then a tear appeared from his sunken eyehole. It was soon followed another.

Erik fell to his knees as he cried for the first time in almost four decades. All the pain, love, passion, hurt and sorrow he had kept locked inside of him was coming out. He buried his face to his hands when he realised that this was not going to stop. But something took his hands away from his face. It was smiling Christine, who also had tears in her eyes. She kneeling in front of him and embraced.

Erik continued crying, burying his face in her hair, holding her close like his life was depending on it.

Everything else stopped existing to him.

Erik didn't know how long they had been like that, felt like hours to him. Even when his tears had stop running and his sobs quieted she still held him close. They stayed like that, accepting each others and Erik felt strange feeling going through him. Was this…happiness? He hadn't felt anything like this before.

"Could you play your Don Juan for me" Christine's voice broke the silence.

"What part of it" he asked silently.

"The one you played today".

Erik didn't need to answer. With some difficulty he rose up and guided Christine to the pipe organ. He sat down, Christine beside him, and played. The massive music came out of the pipes filling Erik's home. It took some time for him to find his voice and fill the room with it.

_"While floating high above,  
I hear, you speak my name.  
Your voice, so sweetly calling me,  
To come to you again.  
I stole into your dreams,  
I touched your soul to mine.  
I gave you music, and soon,  
You must rest here with me,  
Eternally..."_

Before Erik could continue another voice filled the room. The voice came from the angel beside him.

_"The tiny spark you give,   
Also set my heart aflame..."  
_

Erik felt overwhelming happiness as he joined Christine and they sang his masterpiece.

_"That all the songs you hear me sing,  
Are echoes of your name.  
Our voices blend forever,  
Ascending high above.  
One day I'll fly as high with you,  
And in Heaven's arms we'll be,  
Eternally..."_

Erik felt his voice broke down so he took a little moment before finishing the song. 

_"We'll share paradise..."_

Christine rested her head on his shoulder and sang with him.

_"We'll share paradise..."_

Christine smiled. Maybe they could share the paradise.

**Chapter 39: The New World**

Even when the steaming green tea did make him feel better, Nadir Kahn was still utterly confused by the turn of the events. He had been shadowing Miss Daae and young viscount earlier that day and followed them to the staircase leading to the roof. They had come down couple of hours later and after them he had seen glimpse of Erik running in the catwalk. It took only that one glimpse for Nadir to know that Erik was furious. Later he discovered that Miss Daae had vanished and the young viscount confirmed Nadir's suspects of the responsible.

Nadir had been nervous of what might happen when he was leading viscount to Erik's lair but nothing had prepared him for what happened. He soon found himself in the mirror chamber with viscount and realised that it had been trap. Erik must have predicted what Nadir would do and allowed him to see that one glimpse of him which immediately put him to action. Nadir cursed himself for being a fool and leading the young man to a certain death. In his worst nightmares Nadir hadn't imagined that Erik would be capable of making a young woman to decide between a death of a dear friend, possibly a love one, or spending life in the dark.

Nadir hadn't heard much what had been happening as Erik must have closed the sounds. Nadir remembered seeing hallucinations: seeing those bodies again in the hooks. He had seen them moving, pleading help from him. Nadir had wished to die soon.

And then door opened and Erik marched in and carried viscount out, commanding Nadir to follow him. He laid viscount to a beautiful bed, which had obviously been made for a lady, and handed two cups of steaming green tea for them both before leaving them to the room. He was feeling better now, though he probably didn't look like it, and was thinking what might happen now. Did Erik move them out merely for teasing them? Or had Miss Daae convinced him…? As ludicrous as the idea was Nadir had never seen the look Erik had when he led them to this room. He seemed to be excited and frightened at the same time. And now Nadir had been sitting here, watching still unconscious Raoul de Chagny, and praying that this day would bring no-one death.

The music made him jump a little. Erik was playing organs. Nadir didn't recognise the music but judging by how emotional it was he dared to think it was one of Erik's. Soon his voice was heard but it wasn't strong as Nadir had used to hear. It sounded like Erik had been crying. Nadir didn't have time to think this much further when another sound was heard. Miss Daae was alive and well, it seemed. Nadir dared to walk out of the room and venture as close as he could; to the door of the music room. What he saw surprised him even more than anything that had already happened. Erik was sitting at the organ, unmasked, and Miss Daae was sitting next to him, her head on his bony shoulder.

They sat like that for a long time after music had stopped.

Erik's low soft voice broke the silence. "I don't have rights to take you with me".

"Since when has that stopped you?" Christine said just as softly.

Erik sighed. "Is this truly what you want, Christine? If we take this path together you are chained to me till the end of time itself. If you won't leave me tonight you never will, I can't allow you to. And I've seen beyond, Christine, and there are no guaranties that you'd be free of me even then".

Christine raised her head from his shoulder and put her hands around him. "I've been chained to you ever since you saved me from that alley five years ago then, Erik" she said simply. "And whatever happens after we die is the concern of that time".

Nadir wondered if there had been something drugging in that tea or that he was still in the mirror chamber seeing hallucinations.

Christine continued. "You don't have to keep me locked up, Erik. I won't run away ever again".

Erik let out a sound that resembled a sigh of relief. "Then you should go and say your goodbyes to viscount before we leave".

Christine looked at Erik. "Leave?"

Erik sounded amused. "You didn't think we would be living here, did you? My wife deserves a better home with sunlight".

Nadir was dumbfounded. Not only was Erik planning to live in the light, which Nadir though would call little more than just a magic trick, but he clearly saw how delighted Christine was when Erik called her _his wife._

Christine gave a quick kiss to his cheek, or cheekbone more likely, and then stand up to the door. She gave surprised sigh when she noticed Nadir. Erik turned to him also. "Ah, daroga, I was hoping to have a word with you. Come in, I won't bite" he said.

Christine muttered an excuse me when she passed Nadir. Erik spoke to him the moment he stepped inside the room. "Isn't she amazing? Such a good girl" Erik spoke in awe.

"Erik…are you sure what you are doing?" Nadir said carefully, knowing how easily Erik's mood could be changed.

To his surprise Erik looked him with a grin on his distorted face. "Truthfully I have absolutely no idea at all!" he said and laughed. Not the chilling quiet laugh that sends shivers to anyone's spine or maniacal laugh that he made in during his insane moment. This laugh was rich and pleasant to hear.

"Seriously you don't think that I would ever harm her, do you?" Erik asked. "Not after what you saw?"

Nadir felt like he had been hit to the face. Of course Erik had known him to be watching them the entire time.

And then he realised that what exactly he had witnessed.

When Christine had her hands around him Erik wasn't the manipulating, cold-blooded ruler, who had never even heard of a conscious. He had been nothing more than a puppy or a child feeding himself with the love he was receiving. Nadir felt almost light-headed when he realised the importance of what he had seen. For Christine's love Erik was ready to make peace with the entire world! For her he would be ready to cut skies open and drown the world in blood but he didn't need to. As long as Christine was by his side he had no reason to harm another soul. Christine would protect the entire world and as long as Erik received her love he would be satisfied. And for what Nadir had seen he figured Christine would never stop giving her love to Erik.

Nadir felt relieved. For the first time in his life in almost 25 years he didn't need to be afraid of what Erik would do. The whole new world had opened its door right before them.

"I can see you have realised it" Erik said, still sounding amused. He stood up and collected his mask from floor. He settled it to his head. "Do not try to follow us, daroga" he said briefly, before walking away from him.

**Chapter 40: In the Dark**

October, 1911

Five months, Raoul de Chagny thought angrily. Five months since he stand at the rooftop of the Opera house and confessed his love for Christine. Five months since he ventured with the Persian underneath the Opera house. Five months since the day that still haunt his dreams.

Raoul made let himself in from the main doors of the Opera house and so happened to come across with Firmin Richard and Armand Moncharmin in the grand stairs.

"Good day, viscount. What brings you to our Opera house?" Moncharmin says as he spots the young aristocrat.

"We thought you had left for Europe" Richard adds, avoiding the word front. It is still too impossible thought to think that there is a war on their doorsteps that might come in anytime now.

"I wanted to come to see that place one last time. You know the place in the fifth cellar" young man says.

The managers looked at each others, as if not knowing what to do.

"Are you quite sure?" Richard asked.

"I'm positive. Just one more time and I won't come back anymore" Raoul said firmly.

"You couldn't even if you wanted" Moncharmin said. "The rats have started to appear back to fifth cellar. First time in ten years the rat catcher said".

Of course, Raoul thought, now that he's no longer living there.

Raoul knew the way already. He went to auditorium where Mme. Giry was holding a lesson. She noticed him.

"May I help you, monsieur?" she asked.

Raoul hardly even noticed her. "No need to bother because of me, Madame. I'm on my way to the cellars". This simple statement caused whispering among the ballet girls. But hardly could anyone say another word when Raoul already had headed to the backstage and there to the cellars.

He took a lamp to guide his way and used his walking cane to get rid of the possible rats on the way down. As he succumbed to the darkness he remembered that day five moths ago as if it had been only yesterday.

_His head hurt terribly and his throat was dry. He tried to see where he was but it seemed as if one eye saw only black and other bright light. The last thing he remembered was to be in the chamber of mirrors and hear Christine's beautiful voice and HIS terrifying hiss. But where was he now? Not in chamber that was for sure. _

_Maybe he had died and gone to hell. But if this was hell why did it feel so comfortable? Then again if this was heaven why did his throat hurt? Maybe he was in limbo. Maybe his destiny had not yet being decided. _

_Just then Raoul felt a soft hand caressing his face and something was brought to his lips. He tasted warm tea in his mouth and it felt good. _

"_Take it easy, Raoul. We don't want you to choke" said a voice in distance. A voice that he knew well. Christine! Raoul blinked his eyes and all the messed up colours started to settle down. He realised he was in a comfortable bed and that Christine was standing above him. _

"_Christine?" he asked, hardly believing it. "Where are we? What happened?"_

"_Shh. We are all well, Raoul, don't worry. The worst is over. You need to rest now before you try to get back up above" she said._

_That woke Raoul up. "Above? You mean we are still down in the catacombs?" he asked, worrying already replacing tiredness. _

"_Yes, we are still down here, but don't worry. There is nothing to harm any of us anymore" she said. _

_Raoul felt hope. "Is he letting us go? Is that monster still here?" he asked. _

_Raoul wondered were the light and shadows on Christine's face making him seeing things or did she look rather angry at those words of his? The expression on her face lasted only a moment but Raoul was sure he had seen it. _

"_Erik is still here. He is talking with the Persian gentleman at the moment" she said softly. Then her face leaned close to Raoul's. "Thank you, Raoul, for being a friend to help me when I needed help. You've done much for me and I can't begin to thank you. I just want you to know that come what may I'll always hold you dear" she said. Then she kissed him on his forehead. "You'd better rest now" she said and pulled away. She walked to the door and looked Raoul one last time. Then she walked off. It was only then that Raoul noticed how beautiful wedding dress she had. _

_Raoul didn't know how long did it take for him to get up. It could have been five minutes but felt like hours. He walked with shaking legs out of the room to the most amazing hall he had ever seen. There he saw Christine again, except she had dressed now to a blue dress. The Persian was also standing there and seemed to be in a far better shape than Raoul was. _

"_Ah, monsieur de Chagny has risen up" said a voice behind Raoul. He didn't have to turn around to see him because the person behind him walked past him to the hall. He was thin and tall and had a long black cape covering him. He also had a black hat and…no mask. But neither did his face look revolting. Dark hair covered the back side of his head. His skin was sickly pale but he had nose and lips and everything. _

"_Well, what do you think, Christine? Work for now? I intend to make it more realistic in time" Erik said. Astonished Christine walked to Erik and touched his cheek._

"_It looks so real…one could never guess" she said. _

_It was then Raoul noticed that man's face was nothing more than a mask. Raoul didn't know what it was made of, was or rubber, but it seemed to move with his facial movements. One wouldn't see difference unless being very close to him. Did he say he was going to make it more realistic?_

"_And to put your mind to rest, daroga, I give you these" Erik said and pulled parchments under his cape. He handed them to the Persian who had a shocked expression on his face._

"_Erik, these-"_

"…_Are stolen from the most private library in Persia. I give these to you because I have no more use for them or the forbidden knowledge they hold. I give them to you to use as you see the best"._

_The Persian didn't hesitate one moment to walk to the fire place and throw parchments and whatever they were about to the fire. Erik had a blank look on his face but replaced it quickly by turning to Christine. He opened his cape like a huge bat opens its wings. _

"_Ready my dear?"_

_Christine walked to him and put her hands around him. Erik closed his "wings" around her, covering her to his cape. Christine was smiling, resting her head on his chest. _

"_I love you" she said. _

_Erik's masked face was surprised, shocked and beaming all at the same time. He kissed Christine's head gently and turned to Raoul. _

"_I advice you to move to the door" he said. Raoul couldn't comprehend his words but the Persian moved to him and guided him to the door that was open, leading to the lake. _

"_Christine…?" Raoul asked weakly when Erik suddenly raised his hand and throw something to the ground. And then a sudden burst of light appeared and in a matter of seconds both Erik and Christine's bodies were covered by flames. _

"_CHRISTINE!" _

_Raoul tried to get to her but the Persian hold on. Raoul was too weak to fight against him and, to his surprise, he saw that same flames were covering the entire hall very fast. Raoul looked to the Persian in order to shout to him but he talked first._

"_He burned the place to protect his secrets. That nobody else can now his architectural genius"._

_Then blackness covered him again._

Raoul hadn't understood it then. Why had the Persian being so calm? He didn't understand it five months ago then. Not until a month, when the workmen had being able to come down here and try to get access to the place. They got in, but couldn't understand how someone had lived there. They found destroyed furniture's, musical instruments and a bed.

But no bodies were found. Flames should have at least leave bones to be found but they had found nothing. Of course the Persian had been calm. He knew that dying was not in Erik's plans.

Raoul had been in a panic first. He had tried to make a plan to found them but after four months they had disappeared. Now Raoul was going to go to Europe, seeing how bad the things had get in there, but he had to come one last time to see this place. To say goodbye, for Raoul knew it was time to let go.

Now that he watched the dark cave in the dim lamp light it felt like an eternity ago then when he was here. After that day his brother Count Philip had been found from the river. Doctors said it was a miracle he was still alive, though something had changed. Just two weeks later Philip decided to got to Switzerland, even when everyone knew how unsettled the things were in Europe. He just said he wanted to meet some of his old friends.

Raoul took one last look at the lake where had been heard no siren singing anymore and made his way back up, feeling tired but somehow relieved. Back in the opera house he met Meg Giry, a beautiful young girl who had a strong will of live.

"Do you think we will see her again" she asked him.

Raoul looked at her, allowing himself to admire strong willed woman she had become during the past months, when she had helped him to get workmen down below.

"Who knows what is waiting for us in the dark" Raoul said and decided to stay change the subject.

THE END

**Well, there it is. I'm rather proud of this, even when it's horribly full of grammar and spelling mistakes. Yet I hope you've enjoyed it. **

**Special thanks to Annie who insisted I wouldn't let this fic disappear. **


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